mosaic

1 of 4

noun

mo·​sa·​ic mō-ˈzā-ik How to pronounce mosaic (audio)
Synonyms 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 sense 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
mosaiclike
mō-ˈzā-ik-ˌlīk How to pronounce mosaic (audio)
adjective

mosaic

2 of 4

adjective (1)

1
: of, relating to, produced by, or resembling a mosaic
2
: exhibiting mosaicism
3
: determinate sense 5
mosaically
mō-ˈzā-ə-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce mosaic (audio)
adverb

mosaic

3 of 4

verb

mosaicked; mosaicking

transitive verb

1
: to decorate with mosaics
2
: to form into a mosaic

Mosaic

4 of 4

adjective (2)

Mo·​sa·​ic mō-ˈzā-ik How to pronounce Mosaic (audio)
: of or relating to Moses or the institutions or writings attributed to him
lived under the Mosaic Law

Examples of mosaic in a Sentence

Noun a church decorated with old mosaics a picture done in mosaic
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Cornelis van Zuilen has created a stunning cosmic mosaic of all 110 galaxies, star clusters and nebulas of the Messier catalog — a leviathan effort that took hundreds of hours and many nights of sleeping in his car to complete. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 Oct. 2026 The bones are impressive, with rare, double frontage onto two canals, and countless freschi, mosaics and other historic holdovers from its centuries as a noble home. — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The rest of the kitchen is pretty in pink, courtesy of a rosy Zia Tile backsplash and mosaic countertops by Concrete Collaborative. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026 War takes center stage in Roman Bondarchuk and Vadym Ilkov’s mosaic-style Recovery, which reframes Ukraine’s reconstruction as resistance. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mosaic

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Adjective (2)

New Latin Mosaicus, from Moses Moses

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (1)

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mosaic was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing mosaic

Rhymes for mosaic

See All Rhymes for mosaic

Browse Nearby Words

MOS
mosaic
Mosaic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mosaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosaic. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mosaic

noun
mo·​sa·​ic
mō-ˈzā-ik
1
: a decoration on a surface made by setting small pieces of glass, tile, or stone of different colors into another material so as to make pictures or patterns
2
: the process of making mosaics
3
: something resembling a mosaic
especially : a virus disease of plants characterized by mottling of the foliage
mosaic adjective

Medical Definition

mosaic

1 of 2 noun
mo·​sa·​ic mō-ˈzā-ik How to pronounce mosaic (audio)
: an organism or one of its parts composed of cells of more than one genotype : chimera

mosaic

2 of 2 adjective
1
: exhibiting mosaicism
2
: determinate
mosaically
-ˈzā-ə-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce mosaic (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mosaic

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mosaic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mosaic

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