Mosaic

Mosaic

Noun / Adjective · /məʊˈzeɪ.ɪk/

Definition

(Noun) a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic material of different colours; a combination of diverse elements forming a coherent whole; (Adjective) of or relating to Moses and the laws attributed to him (the Mosaic law); also used in science for an organism or cell composed of genetically distinct cells.

Origin

From medieval Latin mosaicus (relating to the Muses), altered to musaicum in Church Latin, then confused with or influenced by Late Latin Moyses (Moses) in some contexts. The artistic sense coming from Italian mosaico, from Byzantine Greek mouseion (decorated with mosaics), from mousaikos (relating to the Muses). The Mosaic law sense being an entirely different etymology — an adjective formed from Moses (from Hebrew Mosheh). The two senses being etymological homophones — the art-mosaic having nothing to do with Moses despite the apparent similarity.