mosaic

I. noun Etymology: Middle English musycke, from Medieval Latin musaicum, alteration of Late Latin musivum, from Latin museum, musaeum Date: 15th century 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 • mosaiclike adjective II. adjective Date: 1585 1. of, relating to, produced by, or resembling a mosaic 2. exhibiting mosaicism 3. determinate 5 • mosaically adverb III. transitive verb (-icked; -icking) Date: 1839 1. to decorate with mosaics 2. to form into a mosaic