# mezzanine

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɛzəniːn/ · frequency rank #36,666

## Definitions
1. An intermediate floor or storey in between the main floors of a building; specifically, one that is directly above the ground floor which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, and so resembles a large balcony overlooking the ground floor; an entresol.
2. An apartment, room, etc., on such an intermediate floor.
3. The lowest balcony in an auditorium, cinema, theatre, etc.; the dress circle.
4. Additional flooring laid over a floor to bring it up to some height or level.
5. In full mezzanine window: a small window at the height of a mezzanine floor (sense 1.1) or an attic, used to light these floors.
6. A floor under the stage, from which contrivances such as traps are worked.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *médʰyos
The noun is borrowed from French mezzanine, and from its etymon Italian mezzanino, from mezzano (“(adjective) middle; (noun) go-between”) + -ino (diminutive suffix). Mezzano is derived from Latin mediānus (“central, middle”, adjective), from medius (“mid, middle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“middle”)) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’).
The adjective and verb are derived from the noun.

## Common misspellings (11)
`emzzanine`, `mezanine`, `mezaznine`, `mezzainne`, `mezzanien`, `mezzaninne`, `mezzannie`, `mezzannine`, `mezznaine`, `mmezzanine`, `mzezanine`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mezzanine