A mosaic is a picture or pattern made by arranging small pieces of colored material, like tiles, glass, or stone, into a larger design. Ancient Roman floors often featured elaborate mosaics showing scenes from mythology or daily life, created by pressing thousands of tiny colored tiles called tesserae into wet plaster. The artists would work like puzzle masters, placing each small piece exactly right so that when you stepped back, you'd see dolphins leaping through waves or warriors riding into battle.

Creating a mosaic requires patience and planning. You can't just slap pieces down randomly: you need to think about how each fragment contributes to the whole picture. Modern artists still make mosaics, and you might have made one yourself in art class using bits of colored paper or broken pottery.

The word also describes anything made up of diverse elements that form a unified whole. A neighborhood might be called a cultural mosaic if people from many different backgrounds live there together. A writer might create a mosaic narrative by weaving together different characters' stories into one complete tale.