ter|race

ter|race «TEHR ihs», noun, verb, -raced, -rac|ing.

–n.

1. an outdoor space, usually paved or tiled, near a house, used for lounging or dining.

2. the flat roof of a house, especially of an Oriental or Spanish house.

3. a) a street along the side or top of a slope. b) a row of houses on such a street.

4. a) a flat, raised piece of land, with a vertical or sloping front, or sides, faced as with masonry or turf, especially one of a series of such levels placed one above the other. b) such a raised piece of land and the masonry, turf, or other material, together.

5. U.S. a parklike strip, as in the center of a road. Abbr: ter.

–v.t.

to form into a terrace or terraces; furnish with terraces: »

to terrace a hillside.

╂[< Middle French terrace (originally) a heap of rubble (used to underlie a platform) < Vulgar Latin terrācea < Latin terra earth]