terracotta

noun ter-rah-KOT-tah Rare

Origin: From Italian terra cotta (baked earth), from Latin terra (earth) + cotta (cooked, past participle of cuocere).

Also means

earthenware

Usage Note

Terracotta is feminine (la terracotta) and in Italian is written as two words or one. Its plural terrecotte is used when referring to individual terracotta objects or artworks. The word passed directly into English and many other languages. It is associated with Tuscany (terracotta fiorentina) and with ancient art.

Examples

"Il vaso è fatto di terracotta."

Natural Translation

The vase is made of terracotta.

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