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in·tar·si·a

(ĭn-tärsē-ə)

1. A decorative inlaid pattern in a surface, especially a mosaic worked in wood.

2. A knitted design resembling a mosaic that is visible on both sides of a fabric.

3. The art or practice of making intarsias.

[German, from Italian intarsio, from intarsiare, to inlay : in-, in (from Latin; see IN-²) + tarsia, inlaid mosaic work (from Arabic tarṣī', inlaying, setting, infinitive of raṣṣa'a, to inlay, derived stem of raṣi'a, to adhere; see rṣʿ in the Appendix of Semitic roots).]

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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