terra-cottan.
/ˌtɛrəˈkɒtə/, U.S. /ˈˌtɛrəˈkɑdə/ 1.
a. A hard unglazed pottery of a fine quality, of which decorative tiles and bricks, architectural decorations, statuary, vases, and the like are made.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > clay compositions > baked clay > pottery or ceramics > [noun] > unglazed
terra-cotta1722
biscuit1768
biscuitware1773
bisque1782
redware1832
terre cuite1869
1722 J. Richardson Acct. Statues Italy 177 A Model in Terra Cotta as fine as ever was done.
1752 T. Hollis in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eminent Literary Men (1843) (Camden) 390 Many things in glass, many in terra cotta.
1867 W. Papworth Gwilt's Encycl. Archit. (rev. ed.) i. iv. 261 The west front of the church of Sta. Maria in Strada, a most elaborate work in brick and terra-cotta.
1867 W. W. Smyth Treat. Coal & Coal-mining 190 The Romans have left us numerous examples in bronze and terra cotta.
b. With a and plural: An object of art, as a statuette or figurine, made of this substance.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > plastic art > modelling > [noun] > model > in terra-cotta or clay
terra-cotta1810
snowman1908
image toy1956
1810 T. Combe (title) A Description of the Collection of Ancient Terracottas in the British Museum.
1842 W. Smith Dict. Greek & Rom. Antiq. at Fictile They reckoned some of their consecrated terra-cottas..among the safe~guards of their imperial city.
1865 Athenæum 28 Jan. 127/3 The terra-cottas include some very remarkable coloured statuettes or figurine of Greek production.
2. The colour of this pottery, a brownish red of various shades.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > red or redness > [adjective] > brownish-red
rustya1398
hepaticc1420
horseflesh1530
rubiginousa1538
iron1587
bricky1615
ferrugineous1633
sand-reda1639
brickish1648
ferruginous1656
lateritious1656
brick-coloured1675
blood bay1684
testaceous1688
rust-coloureda1691
brick-red1740
brick-dust-like1765
maroon1771
rufous1782
brick-dusty1817
rusted1818
worm red1831
brownish-red1832
brown-red1835
foxy1850
rust1854
henna-coloured1865
chestnut-red1882
terra-cotta1882
copper-red1883
fox-red1910
oxblood1918
tony1921
henna-brown1931
henna-red2002
1882 Daily News 3 June 3/1 That colour which the uninitiated would call golden brown, but which milliners call terra-cotta.
1890 Pall Mall Gaz. 25 June 2/1 The splendid terra-cottas of the rocks and the bright greens of the trees.
1900 Westm. Gaz. 23 Apr. 3/2 An underdress of pale blue brocade over which is arranged a tunic of terra-cotta.
Compounds
C1. Of or pertaining to terra-cotta, as terra-cotta works.
ΚΠ
1859 R. Hunt Guide Mus. Pract. Geol. (ed. 2) 96 Figures..manufactured at the Mill Wall terra cotta works.
C2. Made of terra-cotta, as terra-cotta bust, terra-cotta figure, terra-cotta vase.
ΚΠ
1868 Pall Mall Gaz. 2 Dec. 8 Seventy-four terra cotta busts of the Roman Emperors and their families.
1877 W. S. W. Vaux Greek Cities Asia Minor iv. 162 In 1853, Mr. Newton obtained many terra-cotta vases of a very archaic type.
C3. Of the colour of terra-cotta, as terra-cotta feather, terra-cotta paper, terra-cotta velvet; also terra-cotta tinted adj.
ΚΠ
1888 Lady 25 Oct. 378/1 Trimmings of terra-cotta faced cloth.
1891 Truth 10 Dec. 1242 All the doorways were draped with terra-cotta silk.
1899 Westm. Gaz. 19 July 3/1 Roofs..terra-cotta tinted.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1722