tessera etymology

Etymology

The word tessera is derived from the Greek word "tessera," meaning "four."

Meaning

A tessera is a small, rectangular or square piece of material, typically used as:

  • Token: A token used for identification, admission, or entitlement.
  • Mosaic: A small, square piece of glass, ceramic, or stone used to create mosaics.
  • Architectural element: A decorative or functional block used in construction, often featuring geometric patterns.

Origin

The concept of tesserae as tokens dates back to ancient Greece, where they were used as voting tokens or admission tickets to public events. They were also used by Roman soldiers as identification markers.

In the Byzantine era, tesserae were commonly employed in the creation of mosaics, becoming an integral part of the intricate artwork adorning churches and palaces.

During the Renaissance, tesserae were revived as decorative elements in architecture, where they were used to create geometric patterns on ceilings, walls, and floors.

tessera relate terms

  • tessellated

    Etymology The word tessellated is derived from the Latin word tessella which means

  • tessera

    Etymology The word tessera is derived from the Greek word tessera meaning four Mea

  • tesseract

    Etymology of Tesseract The word tesseract was coined by American mathematician and p

  • tessera

    Etymology The word tessera is derived from the Greek word tessera meaning four Mea

  • actino

    Etymology Greek aktis ακτίς meaning ray or beam Meaning An actino is a

  • cadre

    Etymology and Meaning The word cadre is derived from the French word cadre which mea

  • carillon

    Etymology The word carillon comes from the French word carillon which is related to

  • carrefour

    Etymology The word carrefour has its origins in the French language derived from the

  • catty cornered

    Etymology The word cattycornered is a combination of the words Cat A shortening of

  • diatessaron

    Etymology Greek διὰ dia across through τεσσαρων tesserōn four

  • escadrille

    Etymology The word escadrille is derived from the Old French word escadre which in

  • farthing

    Etymology Middle English ferthyng ferthing Old English feorðing Old Saxon fiorðun

  • firkin

    Etymology The word firkin comes from the Middle English word firkyne which in turn c

  • fortnight

    Etymology Middle English fortenight from Old English feowertyne niht feower f

  • forty

    Etymology The word forty comes from the Old English word feowertig which is a compo

  • four

    Etymology The word four comes from the Proto Indo European root kʷetwer which also

  • fourteen

    Etymology The word fourteen traces its roots back to Old English where it was written

  • fourth

    Etymology Fourth adj comes from Old English feorða from Proto Germanic feurðô f

  • quadrant

    Etymology From Late Latin quadrans meaning a fourth part Ultimately derived from th

  • quadraphonic

    Etymology Quadraphonic is derived from the Greek words Tetra τετρά four Ph

  • quadratic

    Etymology The word quadratic is derived from the Latin word quadratus which means s

  • quadri

    Etymology The word quadri has its origins in Latin quadr four Meaning Quadri

  • quadrilateral

    Etymology The word quadrilateral derives from two Latin words Quadri Meaning four

  • quadriliteral

    Etymology lt Latin quadrāli variant stem of quadrātus squared quadrangular see

  • quadrille

    Quadrille Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word quadrille derives from the F

  • quadriplegia

    Etymology Quadri Latin four plegia Greek paralysis Meaning Quadriplegia is

  • quadrivium

    Etymology The term quadrivium is derived from the Latin phrase quadrivium scientiaru

  • quadru

    Etymology Latin quadratus from quadrare to make square Meaning A plane figure wit

  • quadruped

    Etymology Latin quadrupedēs quadrupedis four footed quadru from Latin quatt

  • quadruple

    Etymology Latin quadruplus four times as many Proto Indo European kʷetwóres

  • quadruplicate

    Etymology The word quadruplicate originates from the Latin word quadruplicatus the p

  • quarantine

    Etymology The word quarantine originates from the Italian word quaranta meaning for

  • quarrel

    Etymology Middle English querele Old French querele Latin querela meaning complain

  • quarry

    Etymology The word quarry comes from the Old French word carriere which in turn is der

  • quart

    Etymology The word quart comes from the Old French quarte which means the fourth pa

  • quarter

    Etymology The word quarter has several etymological roots Latin quartus meaning

  • quarterback

    Etymology The term quarterback combines two words Quarter In American football th

  • quartermaster

    Etymology Quartermaster derives from the Middle English term quartermaister which its

  • quarters

    Etymology Quarter originates from the Latin word quartus which means fourth Mea

  • quartet

    Etymology From Latin quattuor four et diminutive suffix Meaning A group

  • quarto

    Etymology Old English cweart fourth quarter Proto West Germanic kwertaz Proto Ge

  • quaternary

    Etymology From Latin quaternārius meaning consisting of four Meaning Consistin

  • quatrain

    Etymology The word quatrain comes from the French word quatraine which in turn deriv

  • quattrocento

    Etymology Italian quattrocento Meaning The 15th century specifically in Italian

  • quire

    Etymology and Meaning of Quire Etymology Quire derives from the Late Latin word q

  • squad

    Etymology Origin Italian squadrone a squadron of cavalry Word origin ultimately der

  • square

    Etymology of square Derived from the Old English word sċēare meaning a corner

  • tessellated

    Etymology The word tessellated is derived from the Latin word tessella which means

  • tetra

    Etymology The word tetra comes from the Greek word τέτταρες téttares mean

  • tetracycline

    Etymology Derived from Greek tetra meaning four cycl meaning c

  • tetrad

    Etymology Greek tetra four ad unit Meaning and Origin A tetrad is a set

  • tetragrammaton

    Etymology The word tetragrammaton comes from the Greek words tetra meaning four

  • tetrameter

    Etymology Greek tetra four metron measure Meaning A line of verse consisting

  • tetrarch

    Etymology From Late Latin tetrarchus from Greek tetrarchēs τετράρχης mean

  • trapezium

    Etymology The word trapezium comes from the Greek word trapezion which means littl

  • contesseration

    Etymology Late Middle English to dispute assert boldly Middle French contester fro

  • tessellated

    Etymology The word tessellated is derived from the Latin word tessella which means

  • mosaic

    Etymology Latin musaicum mosaic work Greek mouseion place of the Muses Mean

  • tile

    Etymology The word tile is derived from the Old French word tile which in turn come

  • lite

    Etymology derived from the Greek word lithos meaning stone Meaning noun a smal

  • rehabilitation

    Etymology The word rehabilitation originates from the Latin verb rehabilitare which

  • hierarchy

  • etiquette

    Etymology Middle French étiquette label ticket sign Old French estiquette small st

  • Gothic

    Etymology The word Gothic derives from the Latin gothus which is derived from the G

  • heresy

    Etymology The word heresy is derived from the Old French hérésie which in turn co