mosaic work

Mosaic \Mo*sa"ic\, a.
   Of or pertaining to the style of work called mosaic; formed
   by uniting pieces of different colors; variegated;
   tessellated; also, composed of various materials or
   ingredients.
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         A very beautiful mosaic pavement.        --Addison.
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   {Florentine mosaic}. See under {Florentine}.

   {Mosaic gold}.
   (a) See {Ormolu}.
   (b) Stannic sulphide, {SnS2}, obtained as a yellow scaly
       crystalline powder, and used as a pigment in bronzing and
       gilding wood and metal work. It was called by the
       alchemists {aurum musivum}, or {aurum mosaicum}. Called
       also {bronze powder}.

   {Mosaic work}. See {Mosaic}, n.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Mosaic \Mo*sa"ic\, n. [F. mosa["i]que; cf. Pr. mozaic, musec,
   Sp. & Pg. mosaico, It. mosaico, musaico, LGr. ?, ?, L.
   musivum; all fr. Gr. ? belonging to the Muses. See {Muse} the
   goddess.]
   1. (Fine Arts) A surface decoration made by inlaying in
      patterns small pieces of variously colored glass, stone,
      or other material; -- called also {mosaic work}.
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   2. A picture or design made in mosaic; an article decorated
      in mosaic.
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   3. Something resembling a mosaic[1]; something made up of
      different pieces, fitted together by design to form a
      unified composition.
      [PJC]

   {aerial mosaic} An aerial photograph of a large area, made by
      carefully fitting together aerial photographs of smaller
      areas so that the edges match in location, and the whole
      provides a continuous image of the larger area. Called
      also

   {mosaic map} and {photomosaic}.

   {mosaic virus} A type of plant virus that causes green and
      yellow mottling of leaves of a plant. A much-studied type
      is the {tobacco mosaic virus}, affecting the tobacco
      plant.
      [PJC]