# terrace

/ˈtɛɹəs/ (US) · /tˈɛɹɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/terrace
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. outdoor platform

noun · CEFR B1

a flat, paved area outside a house or restaurant where you can sit and eat.

For teachers: a raised, level platform extending from a building, typically paved and used for outdoor dining or relaxation.

- We spent the warm summer evening drinking coffee on the terrace.
- The hotel's rooftop terrace offers guests an unobstructed view of the Mediterranean, making it a popular venue for evening receptions.

### 2. row of houses

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a row of similar houses that are joined together in a line.

For teachers: a row of identical or mirror-image houses sharing side walls, forming a continuous architectural block.

- They live in a beautiful Victorian terrace near the park.
- The urban redevelopment plan focuses on preserving the historic brick terraces while modernising the interior infrastructure for energy efficiency.

### 3. stepped land

noun · CEFR B2

a flat area cut into a hill like a giant step, often used for growing crops.

For teachers: a level or nearly level strip of land on a slope, either naturally occurring or man-made for agricultural irrigation and erosion control.

- Farmers in the mountains use terraces to grow rice on the steep slopes.
- Ancient civilizations engineered sophisticated terraces to maximize arable land in mountainous regions where traditional farming was impossible.

### 4. stadium standing area

noun · CEFR C1 · British English

the wide steps in a sports stadium where people stand to watch a game.

For teachers: the tiered standing area in a sports ground, traditionally used by spectators before the transition to all-seater stadiums.

- The fans on the terraces started singing as soon as the players walked out.
- Safety regulations introduced in the 1990s led to the removal of standing terraces in most major football league stadiums.

### 5. to create steps

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to make a slope flat by cutting steps into it.

For teachers: to form or reshape a sloping area into a series of horizontal levels or tiers.

- The gardener decided to terrace the backyard to create more space for flowers.
- The landscape architect proposed to terrace the steep embankment, creating a series of functional garden levels that prevent soil runoff during heavy rain.

## Examples

- We had dinner on the terrace while watching the sunset.
- The hotel features a rooftop terrace where guests can enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline.
- Ancient civilizations utilized sophisticated stone-walled terraces to cultivate crops on steep mountain slopes, effectively preventing soil erosion and managing water runoff.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.