terrace

1 of 2

noun

ter·​race ˈter-əs 

ˈte-rəs

1

a

: a relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building

b

: a colonnaded porch or promenade

c

: a flat roof or open platform

2

a

: one of usually a series of horizontal ridges made in a hillside to increase cultivatable land, conserve moisture, or minimize erosion

b

: a raised embankment with the top leveled

3

: a level ordinarily narrow plain usually with steep front bordering a river, lake, or sea

also : a similar undersea feature

4

a

: a row of houses or apartments on raised ground or a sloping site

b

: a group of row houses

c

: a strip of park in the middle of a street often planted with trees or shrubs

d

: street

5

: a section of a British soccer stadium set aside for standing spectators

terrace

2 of 2

verb

terraced; terracing

transitive verb

1

: to provide (something, such as a building or hillside) with a terrace

2

: to make into a terrace

Synonyms

Noun

• balcony
• deck
• sundeck

Examples of terrace in a Sentence

Noun

rice growing in hillside terraces

For sale: large three-bedroom house with adjoining terrace and garden.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ahead, all the best rooftops and terraces to visit in London this summer. —Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

Though protected from the street, the home remains deeply connected to its private yard, terrace, and the woods beyond. —Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 16 May 2025

Verb

By 1938, Leitch had made Goodison the first stadium to have seats and terracing on all four sides, all of them double-decker, which was also groundbreaking. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 May 2025

At the ranch, optimally situated between Central Coast wine country and its beaches, campsites are terraced into 43 acres of rugged hills with incredible views. —Jenna Blough, Outside Online, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, platform, terrace, from Old French, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra earth, from Latin, earth, land; akin to Latin torrēre to parch — more at thirst

First Known Use

Noun

1515, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for terrace

• derris
• ferrous
• heiress
• maris
• paras
• teras
• varus
• canaris
• embarrass
• icterus
• nonferrous
• polaris

Kids Definition

terrace

1 of 2 noun

ter·​race ˈter-əs 

1

a

: a flat roof or open platform

b

: a level area next to a building

2

a

: a raised piece of land with the top leveled off

b

: one of a group of horizontal ridges made in a hillside to conserve moisture and prevent loss of soil for agriculture

3

: a row of houses on raised ground or a sloping site

terrace

2 of 2 verb

terraced; terracing

: to make into a terrace or supply with terraces