terra-cotta

noun

ter·​ra-cot·​ta ˌter-ə-ˈkä-tə 

often attributive

1

: a glazed or unglazed fired clay used especially for statuettes and vases and architectural purposes (as for roofing, facing, and relief ornamentation)

also : something made of this material

2

: a brownish orange

Examples of terra-cotta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Atelier Davis For a bathroom in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House, Dallas, Atelier Davis drew inspiration from the natural surroundings of the home and the Texas sunsets, bringing in dark rust tone paint and terra-cotta marble mosaic by Artistic Tile. —Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2025

The rounded velvet sofa wraps around the length of the table and brings the terra-cotta shade from the bedroom into the space. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025

Brick, stone, and terra-cotta, products that have the solidity and hue of earth, have timidly but perceptibly snuck back into New York’s repertoire of architectural ambitions. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Mar. 2025

The bricks in Toulouse have a unique, soft-reddish hue that casts a terra-cotta glow on everything around them. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian terra cotta, literally, baked earth

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for terra-cotta

• biota
• iota
• lakota
• nonquota
• ricotta
• chota
• cota
• quota

Kids Definition

terra-cotta

noun

ter·​ra-cot·​ta

ˌter-ə-ˈkät-ə

plural terra-cottas

1

: a glazed or unglazed baked clay used for pottery, statues, and building materials

also : something made of this material

2

: a brownish orange

Etymology

from Italian terra cotta, literally "baked earth," derived from Latin terra "earth" and Latin coquere "to cook"