terracotta

Or ter·ra-cot·ta
ter·ra cot·ta

[ter-uh-kot-uh]

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.

adjective

1. made of or having the color of terracotta.

terracotta

/ 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

adjective

1. made of terracotta

   a terracotta urn

2. of the colour terracotta

   a terracotta carpet

Word History and Origins

Origin of terracotta¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of terracotta¹

C18: from Italian, literally: baked earth

Example Sentences

From a family-run ceramics studio in Portugal’s Alentejo region, these hand-thrown terracotta cups bring abundant sunshine to the breakfast table.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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.

Read more on Barron's

You can choose between nine colors, from basic navy and gray to cactus-green and an orangey-brown terracotta.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

China has long awed visitors with wonders such as the Great Wall and the terracotta warriors buried in an ancient tomb.

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The off-white form of the rustic terracotta jar, shattered over millenniums and fastidiously reassembled, is elegantly decorated in rich brown and black designs, including bursts of rosettes and abstract squiggles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times