# mosaic

> English word · Noun · IPA /məʊˈzeɪk/ · frequency rank #13,384

## Definitions
1. A piece of artwork created by placing colored squares (usually tiles) in a pattern so as to create a picture.
2. Pixelization. (a method of censorship)
3. An individual composed of two or more cell lines of different genetic or chromosomal constitution, but from the same zygote.
4. Any of several viral diseases that cause mosaic-like patterns to appear on leaves.
5. A composite picture made from overlapping photographs.
6. Any composite structure made from diverse elements.

## Etymology
From Middle French mosaïque, from Italian mosaico, from Medieval Latin musaicum, from Late Latin musivum (opus), from Latin museum, musaeum, probably from Ancient Greek Μουσεῖον (Mouseîon), shrine of the Muses (Μοῦσα (Moûsa)).

## Easily confused with
- **music** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mosaic-vs-music)
- **mystic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mosaic-vs-mystic)

## Common misspellings (8)
`mmosaic`, `moasic`, `mosaci`, `mosaicc`, `mosiac`, `mossaic`, `msoaic`, `omsaic`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mosaic