anti-pattern
|an-ti-pat-tern|
🇺🇸
/ˈæntiˌpætərn/
🇬🇧
/ˈæntiˌpætən/
recurring bad solution
Etymology
'anti-pattern' is a modern English coinage combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') and the noun 'pattern' (from Old French 'patron' / Latin 'patronus', meaning 'model' or 'example').
The term was coined in computing and software-engineering contexts in the mid-1990s and was popularized by literature on software design problems (notably the 1998 book 'AntiPatterns'). It derives from the earlier concept of 'design pattern' (from architecture and software) by contrast: 'anti-pattern' denotes the negative counterpart to a 'pattern'.
Initially used specifically as a negative counterpart to 'design pattern' in software design discussions, its usage broadened to describe recurring poor solutions or practices in various fields beyond software.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a recurring solution to a common problem that is counterproductive or ineffective; a common bad practice.
Using global variables to share state across modules is an anti-pattern in large systems.
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Noun 2
in software engineering and design, a pattern of design or implementation that may appear to be useful but leads to maintenance problems, bugs, or reduced performance.
Relying on extensive inheritance instead of composition is often cited as an anti-pattern in object-oriented design.
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Last updated: 2025/11/06 14:10