Standard Lemma guide

tessellation

noun · 5 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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  • /tɛsəˈleɪʃən/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The property or fact of tessellating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Squares can be used for tessellation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A tiling pattern with no gaps; the result of tessellating an area or plane.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • This is a tessellation of the plane with squares and regular octagons.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

polygon tessellation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncommon, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the act of adorning with mosaic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decoration

5

noun

Meaning 5

the careful juxtaposition of shapes in a pattern

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a tessellation of hexagons

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: juxtaposition, apposition, collocation

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kwetwóres Proto-Hellenic *kwétwores Ancient Greek τέσσαρες (téssares)bor. Latin tessera Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -la Latin tessella Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin tessellātuslbor. English tessellate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English tessellation From tessellate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: tessel·lació — the property or fact of tessellating
  • Māori: rōpinepinetanga — the property or fact of tessellating
  • Welsh: brithwaith — the property or fact of tessellating
  • Welsh: teseliad — the property or fact of tessellating
  • Bulgarian: мозайка (mozajka) — tiling pattern with no gaps; the result of tessellating an area or plane
  • Catalan: tessel·lació — tiling pattern with no gaps; the result of tessellating an area or plane
  • Māori: rōpinepine — tiling pattern with no gaps; the result of tessellating an area or plane
  • Polish: parkietaż — tiling pattern with no gaps; the result of tessellating an area or plane