fresco

American  

[fres-koh] / ˈfrɛs koʊ /

noun

frescoes, plural frescos plural

1. Also called buon fresco.  Also called true fresco.  the art or technique of painting on a moist, plaster surface with colors ground up in water or a limewater mixture.

2. a picture or design so painted.

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verb (used with object)

frescoed, frescoing

1. to paint in fresco.

fresco British  

/ ˈfrɛskəʊ /

noun

1. a very durable method of wall-painting using watercolours on wet plaster or, less properly, dry plaster ( fresco secco ), with a less durable result

2. a painting done in this way

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fresco Cultural  

1. A painting on wet plaster. When the plaster dries, the painting is bonded to the wall. Fresco was a popular method for painting large murals during the Renaissance. The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci, is a fresco, as are the paintings by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• frescoer
  noun
• frescoist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• frescoes
  plural
• frescos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fresco

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Italian: “cool, fresh,” of Germanic origin; see fresh

Explanation

Whether you've studied art history or not, you're probably familiar with the world's most famous fresco: Michelangelo's paintings on the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. To paint a fresco, you must apply paint to freshly applied plaster that is still wet, and you better get it right the first time. Too slow and the plaster hardens, and then you've got a lot of chipping away to do. Fresco comes from the Italian fresco, meaning "cool" or "fresh," which describes exactly the fast, unlabored technique required of fresco painting.

Example Sentences

Stop by Fresco Italian Cafe and grab an Italian ice to enjoy while on the canal.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

"Even if only 2% of Chinese people want to buy durians, that's more than enough business," says Chee Seng Wong, factory manager of Fresco Green, a durian exporter in Raub.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

The temporary Al Fresco dining permits allowed more than 2,500 businesses to skip the pricey, months-long process of applications, approvals and fees.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2024

Primarily because “The West Wing,” “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Parks and Recreation” star Rob Lowe not only plays the lead character, but he co-created “Unstable” alongside his son, John Owen Lowe, and Victor Fresco.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2023

Next to these Stables is a Riding-House cover'd, the Ceiling of which being painted in Fresco, represents a Tournament; and all round it there is a Gallery.

From The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume I Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts. by P?llnitz, Karl Ludwig von

Related Words

• brush
• coat
• cover
• daub
• decorate
• depict
• design
• draw
• dye
• portray
• sketch
• tint
• wash