tessellated

American  

[tes-uh-ley-tid] / ˈtɛs əˌleɪ tɪd /

Or tesselated

adjective

1. of, relating to, or like a mosaic.

2. arranged in or having the appearance of a mosaic; checkered.

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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

Explanation

Use tessellated, an adjective, to describe a mosaic pattern formed from small tiles, blocks, or stones pieced together: "The tessellated pavement of blue and gold stones glistened in the sunlight." To correctly pronounce tessellated, accent the first syllable: "TESS-ul-ay-ted." It comes from the Greek word tessera, "a cube or square of stone or wood." Later, it came to mean "made of small square stones or tiles," or mosaics. Tessellated can also refer to an interlocking pattern, such as one made by paving stones on a walkway: "The tessellated pavement in front of the church was over 150 years old."

Example Sentences

The extensive complex, dating to the early 3rd to late 4th Centuries, included two bath-houses, complete with tessellated mosaic floors, and two 2nd-Century round houses.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

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 • Jul. 10, 2023

“They look tiled or tessellated and are round or almost octagonal,” Pearce said.

From Washington Post • Feb. 20, 2023

The display press has a tessellated rubber frame that presses down on the phone to seal a new waterproofing adhesive.

From The Verge • Jun. 6, 2022

The background fabric was made of a tessellated pattern of triangles in shades of gray and blue.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste