mosaic

¹ American  

[moh-zey-ik] / moʊˈzeɪ ɪk /

noun

1. a picture or decoration made of small, usually colored pieces of inlaid stone, glass, etc.

2. the process of producing such a picture or decoration.

3. something resembling such a picture or decoration in composition, especially in being made up of diverse elements.

   a mosaic of borrowed ideas.

4. Also called photomosaic.  Also called aerial mosaic,.  Surveying. an assembly of aerial photographs matched in such a way as to show a continuous photographic representation of an area mosaic map.

5. Architecture. (in an architectural plan) a system of patterns for differentiating the areas of a building or the like, sometimes consisting of purely arbitrary patterns used to separate areas according to function but often consisting of plans of flooring, reflected ceiling plans, overhead views of furnishings and equipment, or other items really included in the building or building plan.

6. Also called mosaic disease.  Plant Pathology. any of several diseases of plants, characterized by mottled green or green and yellow areas on the leaves, caused by certain viruses.

7. Biology. an organism exhibiting mosaicism.

8. Television. a light-sensitive surface in a television camera tube, consisting of a thin mica sheet coated on one side with a large number of small globules of silver and cesium insulated from each other. The image to be televised is focused on this surface and the resulting charges on the globules are scanned by an electron beam.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or used for making a mosaic or mosaic work.

   a mosaic tile.

2. composed of a combination of diverse elements.

verb (used with object)

mosaicked, mosaicking

1. to make a mosaic of or from.

2. to decorate with mosaic.

Mosaic ² American  

[moh-zey-ik] / moʊˈzeɪ ɪk /

Sometimes Mosaical

adjective

1. of or relating to Moses or the writings, laws, and principles attributed to him.

   Mosaic ethics.

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Mosaic ¹ British  

/ məʊˈzeɪɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to Moses or the laws and traditions ascribed to him

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mosaic ² British  

/ məˈzeɪɪk, məˈzeɪɪsɪst /

noun

1. a design or decoration made up of small pieces of coloured glass, stone, etc

2. the process of making a mosaic

3. 1. a mottled yellowing that occurs in the leaves of plants affected with any of various virus diseases

   2. Also called: mosaic disease.  any of the diseases, such as tobacco mosaic , that produce this discoloration

4. genetics another name for chimera

5. an assembly of aerial photographs forming a composite picture of a large area on the ground

6. a light-sensitive surface on a television camera tube, consisting of a large number of granules of photoemissive material deposited on an insulating medium

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mosaic Scientific  

/ mō-zā′ĭk /

1. Any of various viral diseases of plants, resulting in light and dark areas in the leaves, which often become shriveled and dwarfed.

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mosaic Cultural  

1. A picture or design made from small pieces of colored tile, glass, or other material set in mortar. Mosaics have been widely used in Christian churches to decorate walls and ceilings.

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Other Word Forms

• mosaically adverb
• mosaicist noun
• post-Mosaic adjective
• premosaic adjective

Etymology

Origin of mosaic¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French mosaïque, from Italian mosaico, from Medieval Latin musaicum, re-formation of Late Latin musīvum (opus), Latin musēum, musaeum “mosaic work,” of obscure origin; variants may show an assumed relationship with Greek mouseîon “shrine of the Muses, museum” by analogy with archī(v)um “archive” though classical Greek word is not attested in the sense “mosaic”; museum, archive

Origin of Mosaic²

1655–65; < New Latin Mosaicus, equivalent to Late Latin Mōs ( ēs ) Moses + -aicus, on the model of Hebraicus Hebraic

Explanation

If you’ve ever seen a piece of artwork where the picture is comprised of little clay tiles, then you’ve seen a mosaic. If you break a nice piece of china, or a stain glass window, you could save the broken pieces for future use in a mosaic. A mosaic is a style of art where a larger image is created by arranging bits of clay, glass, or other materials in a pattern. More broadly, you can use this word to describe anything that is made up of many different elements, such as “the diverse group represented a mosaic of different viewpoints.”

Example Sentences

At nearly 650,000 acres — just smaller than Yosemite — the park unfolds as a vast mosaic of mountains, badlands and open desert valleys extending far beyond the reach of the pavement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

It’s a bit like an assortment of individual tiles that collectively add up to a mosaic.

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2026

The government quickly put in place a new supreme leader, while its decentralised "mosaic defence" allowed the military to retaliate without losing much of a step.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

It says it will use the new land to create a mosaic of habitats and connect wildlife with new ponds, grasslands, hedges, trees and wetlands.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

A mosaic on the floor showed an exact map of the palace grounds and the surrounding ocean, but the mosaic moved.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• patchwork