noun
terracotta
tehr-uh-KOT-uh
noun
1
A hard, reddish-brown unglazed clay used for pottery, tiles, and building decoration.
"The garden was lined with terracotta pots."
2
A warm reddish-brown colour resembling this material.
"She painted the kitchen walls a soft terracotta."
How to Use Terracotta
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBoth the reddish-brown baked clay material and the colour that resembles it.
Common pairings
terracotta pot
terracotta tiles
terracotta army
Word Forms
terracottas plural
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Etymology
Borrowed from Italian terra ("earth") + cotta ("baked") — literally "baked earth."