Standard Lemma guide

mosaicism

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The condition in which more than one genetically distinct population of cells coexist within one individual.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biology, genetics, medicine, natural-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the condition in which an organism has two or more cell populations that differ in genetic makeup

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: condition

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek Μοῦσᾰ (Moûsă) Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Ancient Greek -ῐος (-ĭos)? Ancient Greek -ῐον (-ĭon) Ancient Greek -εῖον (-eîon) Ancient Greek Μουσεῖον (Mouseîon) Ancient Greek μουσεῖον (mouseîon)der. Late Latin mūsīvum Medieval Latin musaicumbor. Italian mosaicoder. Middle French mosaïqueder. English mosaic Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English mosaicism From mosaic + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 鑲嵌現象 /镶嵌现象 (xiāngqiàn xiànxiàng) — condition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嵌合現象 /嵌合现象 (qiànhé xiànxiàng) — condition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嵌合性 (qiànhéxìng) — condition
  • Finnish: mosaikismi — condition