mezzanine

American  

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

noun

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

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

Example Sentences

It included a mezzanine floor for VIPs that resembled an open-air symphony hall, and an even bigger LED screenscape to create a Vegas-like club experience.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

“It’s like saying, ‘I’m going to go to Dodger Stadium, grab someone from the third row of the mezzanine section, and they can play the violin at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.’

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

Concerns were previously raised that the installation of a mezzanine floor could damage the fabric of the building and erode evidence of the its original layout.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

Frosted glass surfaces, bright colors and a mezzanine add a sense of airiness to the windowless book conservation lab.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2024

She faced the voice and found a stocky, balding man standing beneath the mezzanine.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Related Words

• balcony