Pattern of identical shapes disrupted on satellites (12)
I believe the answer is:
tessellation
'pattern of identical shapes' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'disrupted on satellites' is the wordplay.
'disrupted' is an anagram indicator.
'on'+'satellites'='onsatellites'
'onsatellites' anagrammed gives 'TESSELLATION'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tessellation that I've seen before include "Decoration with mosaics" , "fit" .)