pied-à-terre

noun

pē-ˌā-də-ˈter How to pronounce pied-à-terre (audio)
-ˌā-dä-;
ˌpyā-dä-
plural pieds-à-terre pē-ˌā-də-ˈter How to pronounce pied-à-terre (audio)
-ˌā-dä-;
ˌpyā-dä-
: a temporary or second lodging

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, foot to the ground

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pied-à-terre was in 1823

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Pied-à-terre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pied-%C3%A0-terre. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!