tes·ser·a / ˈtesərə/ •
n. (pl. tes·se·rae / ˈtesərē/ ) a small block of stone, tile, glass, or other material used in the construction of a mosaic. ∎ (in ancient Greece and Rome) a small tablet of wood or bone used as a token.DERIVATIVES: tes·ser·al / -rəl/ adj.
The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.
Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA).
Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.
Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites:
Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.
tessera
oxford
views updated
tessera (pl. tesserae). One of a great number of small square (almost cubical) pieces of glass, marble, pottery, stone, tile, etc., called in the singular abaculus, abaciscus, or, if very small, tessella, embedded in mortar forming a mosaic.
A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape ArchitectureJAMES STEVENS CURL
Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.
JAMES STEVENS CURL "tessera
." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. . Encyclopedia.com. 7 Nov. 2026 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA).
Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.
Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites:
Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.
tessera
oxford
views updated
tessera small quadrilateral tablet, esp. as used in mosaic; (hist.) square tablet on which watchword, etc., was written; hence (gen.) symbol, token. XVII. — L. — Gr. téssera, n. of tésseres, Ionic var- of téssaresFOUR.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English EtymologyT. F. HOAD
Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.
Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA).
Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.
Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites:
Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates.
In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list.