alfresco

adjective or adverb

al·​fres·​co al-ˈfre-(ˌ)skō 

: taking place or located in the open air : outdoor, outdoors

an alfresco lunch

an alfresco café

dining alfresco

Did you know?

In addition to describing a type of dining, alfresco can also describe a kind of painting. The word fresco, which comes from the Italian adjective fresco, meaning "fresh," refers to a method of painting on fresh plaster. Although the "outdoors" sense of alfresco is by far the most common in current use, the term is sometimes used to describe painting done in the fresco manner—that is, on fresh plaster.

Synonyms of alfresco

• outside
• out
• outdoors

Examples of alfresco in a Sentence

the restaurant's shaded terrace is highly recommended for those seeking to dine alfresco

during the summer months, the theater company puts on a series of alfresco performances

Recent Examples on the Web

And to bring the outside in, the main deck’s dining area has its own fold-down balcony for a fun alfresco twist. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2026

One of her clients that was featured in Vogue decided to host their ceremony and an alfresco dinner on a Friday night, leaving Saturday as a day for a full-scale dance party. —Shelby Wax, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026

Best Outdoor Dining Sets: Invite a whole crew out to the backyard with these setups that encourage alfresco feasting. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2026

On the restaurant front, Nepenthe and Big Sur Roadhouse are two popular options that offer alfresco dining. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alfresco

• fresco

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!