terrace

1 of 2

noun

ter·​race ˈter-əs 

ˈte-rəs

1

a

: a relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building

b

: a colonnaded porch or promenade

c

: a flat roof or open platform

2

a

: one of usually a series of horizontal ridges made in a hillside to increase cultivatable land, conserve moisture, or minimize erosion

b

: a raised embankment with the top leveled

3

: a level ordinarily narrow plain usually with steep front bordering a river, lake, or sea

also : a similar undersea feature

4

a

: a row of houses or apartments on raised ground or a sloping site

b

: a group of row houses

c

: a strip of park in the middle of a street often planted with trees or shrubs

d

: street

5

: a section of a British soccer stadium set aside for standing spectators

terrace

2 of 2

verb

terraced; terracing

transitive verb

1

: to provide (something, such as a building or hillside) with a terrace

2

: to make into a terrace

Synonyms

Noun

• balcony
• deck
• sundeck

Examples of terrace in a Sentence

Noun

rice growing in hillside terraces

For sale: large three-bedroom house with adjoining terrace and garden.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The place is all soaring ceilings and glass walls, large terraces and high-gloss surfaces, white orchids and Roche Bobois furniture. —Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

All 47 guest rooms and suites are spacious—most measure 474 square feet—and feature a sitting area and either a terrace or a balcony. —Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2025

Verb

The rest of the 80,000 capacity was uncovered terracing. —Michael Walker, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025

The four-level, 3,000-seat auditorium was built so that no audience member was more than 140 feet from the stage and the rows of seats were terraced at a steep rake, so everyone had an unobstructed view. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, platform, terrace, from Old French, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra earth, from Latin, earth, land; akin to Latin torrēre to parch — more at thirst

First Known Use

Noun

1515, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for terrace

• derris
• ferrous
• heiress
• maris
• paras
• teras
• varus
• canaris
• embarrass
• icterus
• nonferrous
• polaris

Kids Definition

terrace

1 of 2 noun

ter·​race ˈter-əs 

1

a

: a flat roof or open platform

b

: a level area next to a building

2

a

: a raised piece of land with the top leveled off

b

: one of a group of horizontal ridges made in a hillside to conserve moisture and prevent loss of soil for agriculture

3

: a row of houses on raised ground or a sloping site

terrace

2 of 2 verb

terraced; terracing

: to make into a terrace or supply with terraces