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tes·ser·a

(tĕsər-ə)

n. pl. tes·ser·ae (tĕsə-rē′)

One of the small squares of stone or glass used in making mosaic patterns.

[Latin, from Greek, neuter of tesseres, variant of tessares, four; see k^wetwer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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tessera

c. 450 bc mosaic mask made with turquoise, coral, and stone tesserae

Teotihuacán, Mexico

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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