n.
Pronunciation: ' ter- ə s, ' te-r ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, platform, terrace, from Old French, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra earth, from Latin, earth, land; akin to Latin torr ē re to parch ― more at THIRST
Date: 1515
1 a : a colonnaded porch or promenade b : a flat roof or open platform c : a relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building
2 a : a raised embankment with the top leveled b : one of usually a series of horizontal ridges made in a hillside to increase cultivatable land, conserve moisture, or minimize erosion
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