mosaic

¹mo·sa·ic

noun \mō-ˈzā-ik\

Definition of MOSAIC

1

: a surface decoration made by inlaying small pieces of variously colored material to form pictures or patterns; also : the process of making it

2

: a picture or design made in mosaic

3

: something resembling a mosaic <a mosaic of visions and daydreams and memories — Lawrence Shainberg>

4

: an organism or one of its parts composed of cells of more than one genotype : chimera 3

5

: any of numerous virus diseases of plants characterized by diffuse light and dark green or yellow and green mottling of the foliage — compare tobacco mosaic virus

6

: a composite map made of photographs taken by an aircraft or spacecraft

7

: the part of a television camera tube consisting of many minute photoelectric particles that convert light to an electric charge

— mo·sa·ic·like \-ˈzā-ik-ˌlīk\ adjective

Examples of MOSAIC

1. a church decorated with old mosaics
2. a picture done in mosaic

Origin of MOSAIC

Middle English musycke, from Medieval Latin musaicum, alteration of Late Latin musivum, from Latin museum, musaeum

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

Rhymes with MOSAIC

alcaic, Altaic, archaic, Chaldaic, deltaic, Hebraic, Incaic, Judaic, Mishnaic, Mithraic, Mosaic, Passaic, prosaic, Romaic, spondaic, stanzaic, trochaic, voltaic

²mosaic

adjective

Definition of MOSAIC

1

: of, relating to, produced by, or resembling a mosaic

2

: exhibiting mosaicism

3

: determinate 5

— mo·sa·i·cal·ly \-ˈzā-ə-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

First Known Use of MOSAIC

1585

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

³mosaic

transitive verb

mosaickedmosaick·ing

Definition of MOSAIC

1

: to decorate with mosaics

2

: to form into a mosaic

First Known Use of MOSAIC

1839

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

Mo·sa·ic

adjective \mō-ˈzā-ik\

Definition of MOSAIC

: of or relating to Moses or the institutions or writings attributed to him

Origin of MOSAIC

New Latin Mosaicus, from Moses Moses

First Known Use: 1662

Other Jewish Religion Terms

Talmud, Zion, challah, dybbuk, kosher, tabernacle, tetragrammaton, yarmulke

Rhymes with MOSAIC

alcaic, Altaic, archaic, Chaldaic, deltaic, Hebraic, Incaic, Judaic, Mishnaic, Mithraic, mosaic, Passaic, prosaic, Romaic, spondaic, stanzaic, trochaic, voltaic

mosaic

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Surface decoration of small coloured components—such as stone, glass, tile, or shell—closely set into an adhesive ground. Mosaic pieces, or tesserae, are usually small squares, triangles, or other regular shapes. Mosaics cannot create the variations of light and shadow that paintings can, but glass tesserae can achieve a greater brilliance, especially those to which gold and silver foil have been applied. This technique was responsible for the great shimmering mosaics of the Byzantine period. The earliest known mosaics date from the 8th century BC and were made of pebbles, a technique refined by the Greeks in the 5th century. The Romans used mosaics widely, particularly for floors. Pre-Columbian Americans favoured mosaics of garnet, turquoise, and mother-of-pearl, which usually encrusted shields, masks, and cult statues.