mosaic
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mosaic
A picture or pattern created by putting together many small, colored pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic.
In der alten römischen Villa entdeckten Archäologen ein gut erhaltenes Mosaik auf dem Boden.
In the old Roman villa, archaeologists discovered a well-preserved mosaic on the floor.
mosaic
In a figurative sense, a varied and colorful mixture of different elements that together form a complex whole.
Die Kultur der Stadt ist ein faszinierendes Mosaik aus verschiedenen Einflüssen.
The culture of the city is a fascinating mosaic of different influences.
To describe the components of a mosaic, the preposition 'aus' (from/of) is almost always used. This applies both to the literal and the figurative meaning.
Das Kunstwerk ist ein Mosaik aus tausenden kleinen Glasstücken.
The artwork is a mosaic of thousands of small pieces of glass.
In connection with making or discovering a mosaic, the verbs 'legen' (to lay/make), 'gestalten' (to design), 'entdecken' (to discover), or 'zusammensetzen' (to put together) are often used.
Die Kinder haben im Kunstunterricht ein buntes Mosaik gelegt.
The children made a colorful mosaic in art class.
You can recognize the figurative meaning by the fact that it refers to a mixture of abstract things. Typical contexts are culture, society, opinions, or experiences.
Die Bevölkerung der Stadt ist ein Mosaik verschiedener Nationalitäten.
The city's population is a mosaic of different nationalities.
In the figurative meaning, 'Mosaik' (mosaic) is often accompanied by adjectives that emphasize diversity. Common combinations are 'ein buntes Mosaik' (a colorful mosaic), 'ein vielfältiges Mosaik' (a diverse mosaic), or 'ein faszinierendes Mosaik' (a fascinating mosaic).
Der Film bietet ein buntes Mosaik an Charakteren und Geschichten.
The film offers a colorful mosaic of characters and stories.
puzzle
Both Puzzle and Mosaik create a picture from many small pieces. In a Puzzle, a picture that has been cut into pieces is reassembled as a game. A Mosaik, by contrast, creates a picture or pattern from colored pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic.
Die Künstlerin setzt das Bild als Mosaik aus kleinen Glasstücken zusammen.
The artist creates the picture as a mosaic from small pieces of glass.
Das Kind setzt das zerschnittene Bild als Puzzle wieder zusammen.
The child reassembles the cut-up picture as a jigsaw puzzle.
