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terracotta

or ter·ra-cot·ta, none 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

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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 )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of terracotta1

C18: from Italian, literally: baked earth

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Example Sentences

In this animated Disney adventure from directors Carlos López Estrada and Don Hall, Raya sets out to free her father, one of countless people who have been frozen in terracotta by a malevolent force called the Druun.

Only about 20 percent of the island’s population lives on the north side of the island, which is made up of quiet villages where terracotta-roofed homes and grape vineyards are scattered across terraced hills.

Buy Chord Antique Brass Log Holder at CB2, $nullThese candles stand up on their own and come in earthy fall-esque shades like terracotta, moss, and sand.

He went so far as to have rivers of mercury set up in his tomb, along with his famous thousand-soldier strong Terracotta Army.

The Daily Pic: China's terracotta army was built for fighting, not for looking at.

The terracotta panels along the entrance front, over the principal floor windows, were designed by Mr. Boehm himself.

Originally it had been a villa residence—a red-brick villa, covered with creepers and crowned with terracotta dragons.

I must not omit to mention that the small red shafts in the arcade below the belfry seem to be made of terracotta.

There are long and short ones, high and low ones, all pierced with little windows that are closed with a terracotta shutter.

The most remarkable feature of these oldest ruins is the superiority of the terracotta articles.

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tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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