fresco

American  

[fres-koh] / ˈfrɛs koʊ /

noun

plural

frescoes, frescos

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

• frescoer
  noun
• frescoist
  noun

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

Go the Capitol rotunda and look up at the dome, where Constantino Brumidi’s fresco The Apotheosis of Washington, painted during the Civil War, shows Washington in heaven, flanked by goddesses.

From Slate • Feb. 16, 2026

"Well, it really was Meloni but in the same style of the fresco that was there before," he told La Repubblica.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Church and government officials in Italy have launched an investigation into claims that the face of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was painted on an angel during the restoration of a fresco in Rome.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

The store’s carnicería offers marinated meats, and the cremería features queso fresco and cotija.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

With the passage of time, Alba filled not only one but all her bedroom walls with an immense fresco.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

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