Meaning & use
patent leather
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
A shiny, smooth leather that has a hard, mirror-like finish, often used for dress shoes and bags.
Grammar: Uncountable: no plural, and no 'a' before it. Say 'a pair of patent leather shoes.'
Patterns
- patent leather shoes
- a patent leather bag
- made of patent leather
She wore black patent leather shoes to the wedding.
The bag was made of bright red patent leather.
He polished his patent leather boots until they shone.
Common combinations
- patent leather shoes
- He bought a new pair of patent leather shoes for the interview.
- black patent leather
- Her black patent leather handbag matched her dress.
- patent leather finish
- The table has a patent leather finish that reflects the light.
- a pair of patent leather boots
- She wore a pair of patent leather boots in the rain.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shiny leather
- A general description, not a specific material; patent leather is a treated leather with a very glossy surface.
- lacquered leather
- Leather coated with lacquer; similar but less common and often implies a different process.
Commonly confused: patent leather or patent?
patent leather vs patent
As a noun, 'patent' means an official right to an invention. 'Patent leather' is a completely different word—a shiny material.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'patent leather' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Patent leather' is uncountable, so it cannot take 'a' or a plural form. It is used as a modifier before a noun like 'shoes,' as in option B. Options A, C, and D treat it as a countable noun, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “patent leather”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.