terrace
Americannoun
-
terraces
plural
-
a raised level with a vertical or sloping front or sides faced with masonry, turf, or the like, especially one of a series of levels rising one above another.
-
the top of such a construction, used as a platform, garden, road, etc.
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a nearly level strip of land with a more or less abrupt descent along the margin of the sea, a lake, or a river.
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the flat roof of a house.
-
an open, often paved area connected to a house or an apartment house and serving as an outdoor living area; deck.
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an open platform, as projecting from the outside wall of an apartment; a large balcony.
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a row of houses on or near the top of a slope.
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a residential street following the top of a slope.
verb (used with or without object)
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terraces,
present (3rd person singular)
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terraced,
past participle, past
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terracing
present participle
noun
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a horizontal flat area of ground, often one of a series in a slope
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-
a row of houses, usually identical and having common dividing walls, or the street onto which they face
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( cap when part of a street name )
Grosvenor Terrace
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-
a paved area alongside a building, serving partly as a garden
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a balcony or patio
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the flat roof of a house built in a Spanish or Oriental style
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a flat area bounded by a short steep slope formed by the down-cutting of a river or by erosion
-
(usually plural)
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unroofed tiers around a football pitch on which the spectators stand
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the spectators themselves
-
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
terracesimple
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terracessimple
-
have terracedperfect
-
has terracedperfect
-
am terracingprogressive
-
are terracingprogressive
-
is terracingprogressive
-
have been terracingperfect progressive
-
has been terracingperfect progressive
Past
-
terracedsimple
-
had terracedperfect
-
was terracingprogressive
-
were terracingprogressive
-
had been terracingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of terrace
1505–15; earlier terrasse < Middle French < Old Provençal terrassa < Vulgar Latin *terrācea, feminine of *terrāceus. See terra, -aceous
Explanation
A terrace is a paved or brick outdoor area right next to a house or apartment. You might have a nice dinner out on your terrace, enjoying the sunset. Terrace and patio are synonyms. Another meaning for terrace is "a block of row houses that are connected by shared walls and are built in a similar style." Terrace also refers to flat areas on a hillside where people farm or have built houses. That land has been terraced, meaning "made into shelves."
Vocabulary lists containing terrace
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Elements of the Universe: Terr, Terra ("Earth")
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South America - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Thanks to an accordion-style glass door, the seating area opens to a 500-square-foot private terrace, offering a private outdoor space that’s difficult to come by in Manhattan—and it even includes an additional kitchen.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
If you want something more casual, the sidewalk terrace at Bar Pitti is fantastic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Residents of the 30-floor tower enjoy perks like a rooftop terrace with panoramic views, a pet wash, and a fitness center.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
The Barbican's distinctive brutalist foyers and lakeside terrace will also be developed to protect the heritage of the building.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
She and I will walk along the terrace as we did before.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
The 61st floor, whose exterior features a tribute to the radiator caps of early Chrysler vehicles, is to be converted into a dining space with access to outdoor terraces.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The house includes an elevator, four terraces, and a large 58’ deep landscaped back garden.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
From agricultural terraces to temple ruins under Mexico City to art collections and more, tourists can get a glimpse of Aztec life from 500 years ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
For generations, summer in Europe has been languid and dreamy, bringing fine weather and lengthy days on sunny beaches and terraces.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Agricultural terraces like these in Peru’s Colca Valley still cover thousands of square miles in Mesoamerica and the Andes, mute testimony to Native Americans’ enduring success in managing their landscapes.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
The house itself serves as a time capsule of Old Hollywood glitz and glamour, with sprawling gardens and terraced lawns perched on 8.4 acres overlooking the Bel-Air Country Club.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Nearby in Highters Heath, multiple terraced properties caught fire.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
As we climbed the terraced pools of the West Kill, I concentrated on keeping my cast short and precise until I caught my first brook trout, or “brookie.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Filled with eccentric decorative touches that mirrored Simmons’ vibrant public persona, the property features everything from staircase cherubs and boldly patterned wallpaper to curved French doors, terraced gardens, and a key-shaped swimming pool.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
Flush with wealth, Tiwanaku city swelled into a marvel of terraced pyramids and grand monuments.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
It is believed changes include replacing seating in some areas of the ground with terracing, reducing press facilities and altering the hospitality layout as well as the plans for WiFi infrastructure.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2024
“We knew we’d have to do a bit of terracing and retaining, but California is what it is,” Tenney said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
In 2011, they began a fresh exploration of the city’s northeastern edge, a kind of premature suburban sprawl originally dedicated to agricultural terracing that had been converted for funerary and artisanal purposes.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2023
The upper-tier will become outdoor terracing for new homes.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 5, 2022
Given Cahokia’s engineering expertise, though, solutions were within reach: terracing hillsides, diking rivers, even moving Cahokia.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
