terra

noun ter·ra \ ˈter-ə \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of terra

plural terrae play \ˈter-(ˌ)ē, -ˌī\

: any of the relatively light-colored highland areas on the surface of the moon or a planet

Recent Examples of terra from the Web

Exterior walls were covered in off-white terra cotta and soft red brick.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "On the market: Over-the-top, luxury condos (photos)," 12 May 2018
There is a prominent white P.F. Chang’s sign on the 8th-floor entrance, but the company wasn’t able to secure permission for the terra cotta horse that is a fixture at its U.S. outlets.

— liza lin, WSJ, "P.F. Chang’s Brings Sort-of Chinese Food to China," 12 May 2018
The plants don’t care, except that terra-cotta pots can wick moisture away from the soil and dry out more quickly than, say, plastic.

— adrian higgins, sacbee, "Container culture – these pots do lots | The Sacramento Bee," 11 May 2018
The work included restoring the Gerber’s clock tower and blue-speckled terra cotta exterior.

— mary wisniewski, chicagotribune.com, "Historic Uptown Gerber Building to house Chicago Market co-op," 9 May 2018
The second-floor bedroom is a dark terra cotta, and the media room is yellow.

— joanne kempinger demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A major renovation improved 1872 Walker's Point home but kept the Gothic Revival charm," 3 May 2018
The leaking roof has damaged plaster and destabilized the ornate terra cotta cornice, with pieces falling to the sidewalk, threatening public safety.

— will higgins, Indianapolis Star, "These 10 classic, historic Indiana buildings are on borrowed time," 2 May 2018
There’s a terra-cotta relief of the Santa Maria under full sail at Columbus Circle, for instance, a bald eagle at Fourteenth Street, and a dignified beaver at Astor Place.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Sketching the M.T.A. with a Subway Archeologist," 30 Apr. 2018
For its latest collection, the company is introducing two new glazes: Utah, a warm terra cotta hue, and Taro, an earthy lilac.

— liz stinson, Curbed, "East Fork, maker of modern ceramics, introduces irresistible color line," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'terra.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of terra

New Latin, from Latin, land

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1946

in the meaning defined above

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See words that rhyme with terra Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about terra

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