Glossa

Lat A gloss, explanation or interpretation. The glossœ of the Roman law are brief illustrative comments or annotations on the text of Justinian's collections, made by the professors who taught or lectured on them about the twelfth century, (especially at the law school of Bologna,) and were hence called "glossators." These glosses were at first inserted in the text with the words to which they referred, and were called "glossœ interlineares;" but afterwards they were placed in the margin, partly at the side, and partly under the text, and called "glossœ marginalesA selection of them was made by Accursius, between A. D. 1220 and 1260, under the title of "Olossa Ordinaria," which is of the greatest authority.

Mackeld. Rom. Law, § 90.