terra-cotta

noun

ter·​ra-cot·​ta ˌter-ə-ˈkä-tə 

often attributive

1

: a glazed or unglazed fired clay used especially for statuettes and vases and architectural purposes (as for roofing, facing, and relief ornamentation)

also : something made of this material

2

: a brownish orange

Examples of terra-cotta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of the walls, wardrobes and tables are painted light hues of sand, pink and terra-cotta to reflect the hues in the Portuguese landscape. —Lindsey Tramuta Roxanne Fequiere Luke Fortney Gisela Williams Megan O’Sullivan, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025

Concrete, granite, and sandstone are neutral vessels that are less porous than wood but not airtight like stainless steel, while terra-cotta tinaja from Spain and qvevri from Georgia can impart a sense of earthiness to wine. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2025

Outside, in the verdant herb garden, local breads are baked en plein air each morning in terra-cotta ovens. —Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2024

While its discovery offers new information about the hierarchy of Qin Shi Huang’s army, much is still unknown about the terra-cotta warriors. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian terra cotta, literally, baked earth

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

terra-cotta

noun

ter·​ra-cot·​ta

ˌter-ə-ˈkät-ə

plural terra-cottas

1

: a glazed or unglazed baked clay used for pottery, statues, and building materials

also : something made of this material

2

: a brownish orange

Etymology

from Italian terra cotta, literally "baked earth," derived from Latin terra "earth" and Latin coquere "to cook"