Use tessellated, an adjective, to describe a mosaic pattern formed from small tiles, blocks, or stones pieced together: "The tessellated pavement of blue and gold stones glistened in the sunlight."
To correctly pronounce tessellated, accent the first syllable: "TESS-ul-ay-ted." It comes from the Greek word tessera, "a cube or square of stone or wood." Later, it came to mean "made of small square stones or tiles," or mosaics. Tessellated can also refer to an interlocking pattern, such as one made by paving stones on a walkway: "The tessellated pavement in front of the church was over 150 years old."
