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Webster 1913 Edition
Tessera
‖
Tes′se-ra
,Noun.
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.