terrazzo

American  

[tuh-raz-oh, -rah-zoh, -rah-tsoh, ter-raht-tsaw] / təˈræz oʊ, -ˈrɑ zoʊ, -ˈrɑ tsoʊ, tɛrˈrɑt tsɔ /

noun

1. a mosaic flooring or paving composed of chips of broken stone, usually marble, and cement, polished when in place.

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terrazzo British  

/ tɛˈrætsəʊ /

noun

1. a floor or wall finish made by setting marble or other stone chips into a layer of mortar and polishing the surface

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Etymology

Origin of terrazzo

1895–1900; < Italian: balcony, terraced or flat roof < Vulgar Latin *terrāceus, derivative of Latin terra ground

Example Sentences

“Enter through a private courtyard into high ceilings infused with natural light, walls of glass and polished terrazzo floors,” the description continues.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

For dinner, I went old school at À La Renaissance, a century-old, recently revived bistro with chunky terrazzo floors and burgundy banquettes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Everywhere you turn, there are thoughtful touches, curated art and the familiar Lisbon pastel and terrazzo colorways.

From Salon • Oct. 23, 2024

I love each terrazzo incense-cone holder and piece of pristine ceramic, ranging in aesthetics from Danish minimalist to Japanese minimalist.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2024

Depending on where they are, they eat sitting on red clay or cement or terrazzo floors, or at marble-topped tables too cold to rest their elbows on.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri