mezzanine

American  

[mez-uh-neen, mez-uh-neen] / ˈmɛz əˌnin, ˌmɛz əˈnin /

noun

• mezzanines
  plural

1. the lowest balcony or forward part of such a balcony in a theater.

2. a low story between two other stories of greater height in a building, especially when the low story and the one beneath it form part of one composition; an entresol.

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mezzanine British  

/ ˈmɛtsəˌniːn, ˈmɛzəˌniːn /

noun

1. Also called: mezzanine floor.   entresol.  an intermediate storey, esp a low one between the ground and first floor of a building

2. theatre the first balcony

3. theatre a room or floor beneath the stage

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adjective

1. Often shortened to: mezz.  of or relating to an intermediate stage in a financial process

   mezzanine funding

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mezzanines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mezzanine

1705–15; < French < Italian mezzanino, equivalent to mezzan ( o ) middle (< Latin mediānus median ) + -ino diminutive suffix

Compare meaning

How does mezzanine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mezzanine vs. balcony

Explanation

If a sign in your hotel says, "Espresso bar is located on the mezzanine," it means that you can get your daily latte fix on the floor of your hotel that's one story above the ground floor. One meaning of mezzanine is "second floor," although usually the mezzanine level of a building is a partial floor, located between the ground floor and first floor. Another meaning of mezzanine is the lowest of a row of balconies in a theater or symphony hall. You might buy mezzanine tickets to a concert so that you have a good view of the stage. The Latin root of mezzanine is the word medianus, "of the middle."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mezzanine mezzanines

A mezzanine will allow visitors to see the work in its entirety as they walk into the gallery - for the first time in history.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

The blaze was reported about 4 a.m. at the two-story building with a mezzanine located at 1225 South Hope St. near West Pico Boulevard.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

Next spring, it will add a mezzanine with a row of up to six skyboxes for VIPs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025

I’ll sit in the mezzanine, I’ll sit in the balcony.

From New York Times ● Nov. 23, 2024

Chaol stood with Dorian in the shadows atop the mezzanine, staring down at the assassin as she punched at the dummy situated in the center of the floor.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

The screens, which will show train arrival times, are being installed on six mezzanines and 11 platforms at the stations.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 28, 2023

Guests at a September book launch party for Montalba Architects gather on one of the Hammer Museum’s mezzanines that overlook Westwood and circle the display like hawks riding thermals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 5, 2023

The mezzanines are now gone, as are the view-blocking wings, replaced by two smaller, recessed, window-filled expansions, thus restoring the Neilson’s 1909 facade to its original prominence.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2021

The host stand buzzes, the ceiling soars and the space seems endless, with sinuous bar seating, two capacious rooms and mezzanines above.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2019

The Gestapo use the ground floor and two mezzanines for their own accommodation and offices, and it is all kept in beautiful condition.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• balcony