terracotta

American  

[ter-uh-kot-uh] / ˈtɛr əˈkɒt ə /

Or terra-cotta terra cotta

noun

1. a hard, fired clay, brownish-red in color when unglazed, that is used for architectural ornaments and facings, structural units, pottery, and as a material for sculpture.

2. something made of terracotta.

3. a brownish-orange color like that of unglazed terracotta.

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adjective

1. made of or having the color of terracotta.

terracotta British  

/ ˌtɛrəˈkɒtə /

noun

1. a hard unglazed brownish-red earthenware, or the clay from which it is made

2. something made of terracotta, such as a sculpture

3. a strong reddish-brown to brownish-orange colour

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adjective

1. made of terracotta

   a terracotta urn

2. of the colour terracotta

   a terracotta carpet

Etymology

Origin of terracotta

First recorded in 1715–25; from Italian: literally, “baked earth, cooked earth,” from Latin terra cocta; see origin at thirsty, cook ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“That is the goddess Cybele—our most precious object in the Myrmekion collection,” said Tomasz Dziurdzik, chief curator of the ancient art collection at the National Museum in Warsaw, pointing to a terracotta figurine.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

It had been buried in Ampthill Park inside a terracotta casket and sealed with wax to evade metal detectors.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025

Many of those early graves, marked by propped up terracotta roof tiles, are visible outside the basilica today.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

When England toured Australia later that year, captain Ivo Bligh was given a small terracotta urn purported to contain the ashes of a burnt wooden bail.

From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025

Above them, the evening sky glowed a murky terracotta, the same colour as the building’s walls.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan