Word of the Day

: May 23, 2007

alfresco

adjective or adverb al-FRESS-koh

What It Means

: taking place or located in the open air : outdoor, outdoors

alfresco in Context

Our neighbors are looking forward to the summer, when they'll be able to dine alfresco on their new patio.

Did You Know?

In addition to describing a type of dining, "alfresco" can also describe a kind of painting. The word "fresco," which comes from the Italian adjective "fresco," meaning "fresh," refers to a method of painting on fresh plaster. Although the "outdoors" sense of "alfresco" is by far the most common in current use, the term is sometimes used to describe painting done in the fresco manner -- that is, on fresh plaster.