a picture or decoration made of small, usually colored pieces of inlaid stone, glass, etc.
the process of producing such a picture or decoration.
something resembling such a picture or decoration in composition, especially in being made up of diverse elements.
a mosaic of borrowed ideas.
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.
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.
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.
Biology. an organism exhibiting mosaicism.
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.
pertaining to, resembling, or used for making a mosaic or mosaic work.
a mosaic tile.
composed of a combination of diverse elements.
to make a mosaic of or from.
to decorate with mosaic.
a design or decoration made up of small pieces of coloured glass, stone, etc
the process of making a mosaic
a mottled yellowing that occurs in the leaves of plants affected with any of various virus diseases
Also called: mosaic disease. any of the diseases, such as tobacco mosaic , that produce this discoloration
genetics another name for chimera
an assembly of aerial photographs forming a composite picture of a large area on the ground
a light-sensitive surface on a television camera tube, consisting of a large number of granules of photoemissive material deposited on an insulating medium
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”; see museum, archive
1655–65; < New Latin Mosaicus, equivalent to Late Latin Mōs ( ēs ) Moses + -aicus, on the model of Hebraicus Hebraic
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.”
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He spoke of "the living mosaic of the United States", praising it and the UK both as "vibrant, diverse and free societies".
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
Montazeri went on to apprentice for two of Iran’s most important contemporary artists—mirrored mosaic maker Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian and modernist sculptor Parviz Tanavoli.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
Despite the current trend, Tajik mosaic artist Dzhuraev wants to believe that "the time will come" when mosaics will once again adorn buildings.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Outside, guests will find a generous lawn, gardens, and a resort-style pool covered in mosaic tiles.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
The mosaic walls dimmed and turned grungy and faded again.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
