Settles deal - building to be decorated with mosaics

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1690s, from Late Latin tessellatus "made of small square stones or tiles," past participle of tesselare , from tessella "small square stone or tile," diminutive of tessera "a cube or square of stone or wood," perhaps from Greek tessera , neuter of tesseres ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Tessellated \Tes"sel*la`ted\, a. Formed of little squares, as mosaic work; checkered; as, a tessellated pavement. (Bot. & Zo["o]l.) Marked like a checkerboard; as, a tessellated leaf.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Word definitions in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
adjective EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ I promised to have a look at the dig and point out where the tessellated pavement should be. ▪ Inside was a red and white tessellated floor. ▪ Normally, the whole of a floor is tessellated . ▪ She would hear tile swirl of ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
Covered with pieces that are similarly shaped. v (en-past of: tessellate)

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
adj. having a checkered or mottled appearance decorated with small pieces of colored glass or stone fitted together; "a mosaic floor"; "a tessellated pavement" [syn: mosaic ]