tessellated

or tes·se·lat·ed

[ tes-uh-ley-tid ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or like a mosaic.
2. arranged in or having the appearance of a mosaic; checkered.

Other Words From

• un·tessel·lated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tessellated¹

First recorded in 1685–95; tessellate + -ed ²

Example Sentences

That geography is part of why the actual Biosphere 2 building looks so striking: Two ziggurats made of tessellated glass triangles are connected by a long, glass rectangular structure.

From Scientific American

“Occidental,” a group of works including “drone maps” made from tessellated aerial photographs during his time in the Amazon.

From New York Times

“They look tiled or tessellated and are round or almost octagonal,” Pearce said.

From Washington Post

The display press has a tessellated rubber frame that presses down on the phone to seal a new waterproofing adhesive.

From The Verge

The screens hang in rooms lined with tessellated wallpaper; arranged throughout the pavilion are gilded geometric objects based on the shape of pyrite, a mineral also known by the colonial-era term “fool’s gold.”

From New York Times

More About Tessellated

What does tessellated mean?

Tessellated is an adjective used to describe patterns of shapes that fit together perfectly, without any gaps.

It’s also the past tense of the verb tessellate, which means to form such a pattern.

This kind of pattern is called a tessellation. This often often refers to a pattern that includes a repetition of one particular shape, such as the repetition of squares in a checkerboard. But tessellations can also be formed from multiple shapes. For example, a classic black-and-white soccer ball is an example of a tessellation that consists of two different shapes: hexagons and pentagons.

Tessellated patterns are a kind of mosaic. They’re often seen on surfaces that have been covered in tiles. That’s because floor and wall tiles are often designed so that they can tessellate—fit together perfectly, without any overlap or gaps.

Tessellated is sometimes spelled with one l, as tesselated.

<img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-169801" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-169801 size-medium" src="https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tessellation-yellow-orange-honeycomb_Getty-300x199.jpg" alt="yellow and orange honeycomb pattern" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tessellation-yellow-orange-honeycomb_Getty-300x199.jpg 300w, https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tessellation-yellow-orange-honeycomb_Getty-272x181.jpg 272w, https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tessellation-yellow-orange-honeycomb_Getty-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/tessellation-yellow-orange-honeycomb_Getty.jpg 726w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Source: Getty. A tessellated pattern formed from hexagons.

Example: The tessellated honeycomb pattern on the side of the building was formed from interlocking hexagons.

Where does tessellated come from?

The first records of the word tessellated come from the late 1700s. It ultimately comes from the Latin word tessellātus, which means “mosaic” and is related to the Latin tessell(a), meaning “a small square stone or cube.”

A pattern consisting entirely of squares is probably the most basic kind of tessellation. But multiple shapes can be combined to form a tessellated pattern that perfectly fits together. Many traditional quilts feature tessellated patterns with multiple kinds of shapes. Tessellated patterns can even be found in nature, such as in the patterns on the skin or fur of certain animals or the shapes that form in dried mud. The artist M. C. Escher is known for creating intricate tessellated patterns of irregular images, such as birds and fish.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to tessellated?

• tesselated (alternate spelling)
• tessellate (verb)

What are some synonyms for tessellated?

• tessellate (when tessellate is used as an adjective)
• tiled

What are some words that share a root or word element with tessellated? 

• tessellation
• tesseract
• tessera

What are some words that often get used in discussing tessellated?

• pattern
• geometric
• shape
• tile
• repeating
• square
• triangle
• hexagon
• polygon

How is tessellated used in real life?

Tessellated is a somewhat technical term. Tessellated patterns can be found in all kinds of artwork, such as tilework and quilts, but they can also occur naturally.

Come and see our whole school collaboration during #PerformingArtsWeek @BSNJSV. 550 birds inspired by the tessellated patterns of Escher! Stunning! pic.twitter.com/V6Dhpj0KWQ

— BSN Art (@BSNArt) March 25, 2019

Get creative with Topcer tessellated tiles. Create your own pattern or select from a vast range of pre-made ones!👌 … pic.twitter.com/pW5gAQkgEb

— De Fazio Tiles&Stone (@DeFazioTiles) March 29, 2016

Happy Friday Gryffindors! Here is a little idea for creating a tessellated design. Can you design your own shape that will tessellate? Have fun! 🖼 🎨 ✏️ pic.twitter.com/5FpL6wn5Bz

— FPS_5_Gryffindors (@FPS_5_Gryffindo) July 3, 2020

 

 

Try using tessellated!

Is tessellated used correctly in the following sentence?

The artist connected the images to create a tessellated pattern with no end and no beginning.