n. & v.
--n.
1. a a picture or pattern produced by an arrangement of small variously coloured pieces of glass or stone etc. b work of this kind as an art form.
2 a diversified thing.
3 an arrangement of photosensitive elements in a television camera.
4 Biol. a chimera.
5 (in full mosaic disease) a virus disease causing leaf-mottling in plants, esp. tobacco, maize, and sugar cane.
6 (attrib.) a of or like a mosaic. b diversified.
--v.tr. (mosaicked, mosaicking)
1. adorn with mosaics.
2 combine into or as into a mosaic.
Phrases and idioms:
mosaic gold
1. tin disulphide.
2 an alloy of copper and zinc used in cheap jewellery etc.
Derivatives:
mosaicist n.
Etymology: ME f. F mosa{iuml}que f. It. mosaico f. med.L mosaicus, musaicus f. Gk mous(e)ion mosaic work f. mousa MUSE(1)