Gee, it makes me feel really old to see a question like that. The first definition given above is the most accurate and appropriate answer to the question asked here. The term "Pattern" seems to have faded away to words like IMAC and 3D or Free Style. I guess Pattern flying describes an era now that defines the way World Champions were measured through the 60s, 70, and 80s.

In fact it was (is) a discipline that is similar to figure skating that caused us to analyze the finer points of flight control inputs and aerodynamics as well as hand/eye coordination in order to convince three trained judges of our skills and presentation. Now-a-days, Free Style and 3D utilizes technology in the form of High Power-to-weight ratio and imagination to "impress" the viewer.

You don't often see someone practice three horizontal rolls perfectly straight with the 2nd roll positioned with the inverted part directly at center and exiting on the same heading and altitude as the entry. Or how about watching someone practice doing three loops perfectly round and centered in front of himself and superimposed on each other. Just try to get someone to explain how to do a Figure M.

It sure does beat boring holes in the sky.

The second definition above refers to a "Traffic Pattern" which is the path a full scale airplane takes when in the vicinity of an airport. A Traffic Pattern was also a Pattern maneuver which usually occurs prior to the Landing maneuver which is graded from 6' down to roll-out. It takes a certain amount of skill to fly a straight line downwind and pull off two 90 degree turns while managing your airspeed and rate of descent and end up lined up with the center of the runway with the glide slope aimed directly at the center of a circle right in front of you.

In the early days, Pattern flying use to include taxiing from a 3' box out to the runway and stopping prior to starting the roll for take-off. The end of the flight also included the "Proto Taxi" which required the pilot to taxi back after landing with the engine running and stop in that 3' box. Apparently the AMA has determined that these skills are no longer desirable. Only in Scale competition will you find a pilot fly a realistic traffic pattern and approach to landing.