tessera

[ tes-er-uh ]

noun

, plural tes·ser·ae [tes, -, uh, -ree].

1. one of the small pieces used in mosaic work.
2. a small square of bone, wood, or the like, used in ancient times as a token, tally, ticket, etc.

tessera

/ ˈtɛsərə /

noun

1. a small square tile of stone, glass, etc, used in mosaics
2. a die, tally, etc, used in classical times, made of bone or wood

Derived Forms

• ˈtesseral, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tessera¹

1640–50; < Latin < Greek (Ionic) tésseres four

Word History and Origins

Origin of tessera¹

C17: from Latin, from Ionic Greek tesseres four

Example Sentences

Back in the lab, in late June 2022, Estrada-Belli homed in on the chunks of jade, known to archaeologists as tesserae.

From National Geographic

Beyond a fountain left dry in an empty hotel courtyard, a few tesserae glittered on a Soviet-era bus stop; it was impossible to tell what the original mosaic would have been.

From New York Times

One mosaic, depicting wide-hipped naked women cavorting with chimerical monsters, was composed of tessera a few millimeters wide, a level of intricacy seldom seen outside of Rome.

From Washington Post

He made his own tiles, or tesserae, by pouring aluminum-colored acrylic gel into trays to dry, and then cutting it into pieces.

From Washington Post

Not only do scientists not know how old the tesserae are, they do not know what they are.

From Scientific American