tessellating
Fitting without gaps
Tessellating describes shapes that fit together in a repeating pattern with no gaps or overlaps, like tiles covering a floor.
Squares and hexagons tessellate naturally; most irregular shapes don't.
The term appears in mathematics, art, and design: The artist created tessellating patterns inspired by M.C. Escher.
To tessellate is to arrange shapes this way.
Flat covering pieces
- ceramicFired clay material
- glassTransparent solid from sand
- groutTile joint filler
- byzantineDauntingly intricate and devious
roman · inlay · flooring · backsplash · pavement · decorative · terrazzo · opus
Multisided plane figure
- hexagonSix-sided closed figure
- triangleThree-sided plane figure
- quadrilateralFour-sided closed figure
- parallelogramQuadrilateral with paired parallels
vertex · angle · symmetry · plane · congruent · transformation · grid · mathematics
Puzzle or curve-cutting tool
- pieceA portion or segment
- assemblyConstructing from components
- fitProper or healthy
- interlockingEngaging by overlap
tabletop · game · challenge · solver · manipulation · spatial · arrangement · completion
tiles
Flat covering pieces
byzantine · roman · inlay · flooring · backsplash · pavement · decorative · terrazzo · opus · encaustic
polygon
Multisided plane figure
- hexagonSix-sided closed figure
- triangleThree-sided plane figure
- quadrilateralFour-sided closed figure
parallelogram · vertex · angle · symmetry · plane · congruent · transformation · grid · mathematics · topology
jigsaw
Puzzle or curve-cutting tool
interlocking · tabletop · game · challenge · solver · manipulation · spatial · arrangement · completion · edge
quilt
Stuffed, stitched bed covering
- patchworkFabric scraps sewn together
- origamiSculptural paper-creasing art
- weavingInterlacing strands into fabric
fabric · textile · pattern · motif · design · applique · needlework · embroidery · crochet · knitting
mesh
Interlocking open weave
connect · seamless · adjoin · abut · align · edge-to-edge · continuous · repeating · snug · flush
- math operationsaddition, adding, subtraction, subtracting, multiplication
- shape propertiesconvex, concave, symmetric, regular, irregular
tessellatinggapping
Omission in coordinate clauses
overlapping · spacing · scattered · dispersed · discontinuous
tessellatingoverlapping
Covering part of another
overlaying · layering · stacking · superimposing · shingling
tessellatingdisordering
Disturbing proper arrangement
randomizing · fragmenting · scattering · jumbling · haphazard