tessellated
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or like a mosaic.
-
arranged in or having the appearance of a mosaic; checkered.
Usage
What does tessellated mean?
Tessellated is an adjective used to describe patterns of shapes that fit together perfectly, without any gaps.It’s also the past tense of the verb tessellate, which means to form such a pattern.This kind of pattern is called a tessellation. This often often refers to a pattern that includes a repetition of one particular shape, such as the repetition of squares in a checkerboard. But tessellations can also be formed from multiple shapes. For example, a classic black-and-white soccer ball is an example of a tessellation that consists of two different shapes: hexagons and pentagons.Tessellated patterns are a kind of mosaic. They’re often seen on surfaces that have been covered in tiles. That’s because floor and wall tiles are often designed so that they can tessellate—fit together perfectly, without any overlap or gaps.Tessellated is sometimes spelled with one l, as tesselated.[caption id="attachment_169801" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Source: Getty. A tessellated pattern formed from hexagons.[/caption]Example: The tessellated honeycomb pattern on the side of the building was formed from interlocking hexagons.
Other Word Forms
- untessellated adjective
Etymology
Origin of tessellated
First recorded in 1685–95; tessellate + -ed 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That geography is part of why the actual Biosphere 2 building looks so striking: Two ziggurats made of tessellated glass triangles are connected by a long, glass rectangular structure.
From Scientific American
“Occidental,” a group of works including “drone maps” made from tessellated aerial photographs during his time in the Amazon.
From New York Times
“They look tiled or tessellated and are round or almost octagonal,” Pearce said.
From Washington Post
The display press has a tessellated rubber frame that presses down on the phone to seal a new waterproofing adhesive.
From The Verge
The screens hang in rooms lined with tessellated wallpaper; arranged throughout the pavilion are gilded geometric objects based on the shape of pyrite, a mineral also known by the colonial-era term “fool’s gold.”
From New York Times
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.
