tesserae

1 definition found

tesserae - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Tessera \Tes"se*ra\, n.; pl. Tesserae. [L., a square piece, a
     die. See Tessellar.]
     A small piece of marble, glass, earthenware, or the like,
     having a square, or nearly square, face, used by the ancients
     for mosaic, as for making pavements, for ornamenting walls,
     and like purposes; also, a similar piece of ivory, bone,
     wood, etc., used as a ticket of admission to theaters, or as
     a certificate for successful gladiators, and as a token for
     various other purposes. --Fairholt.
     [1913 Webster]