terrace

Name: terrace, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈtɛɹəs/

//ˈtɛɹəs// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“terrace” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,617 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,617
frequency rank, English: 7
letters: 8
tracked misspellings: 6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A flat open area on the topmost floor of a building or apartment

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

terrace vs trace

71% similar

terrace vs Thrace

57% similar

terrace vs terrain

71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for terrace
Property	Value
Headword	terrace
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈtɛɹəs/
Letters	7
Frequency rank	#8,617
Misspellings tracked	8
Confusable pairs	6
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “terrace” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). terrace lands here:

#8,617

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for terrace is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛɹəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,617 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for terrace, with forms such as "etrrace", "terace", and "terarce". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "trace", "Thrace", "terrain", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French terrasse, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra (“land”). Doublet of terrasse. The correct English form is terrace, spelled T-E-R-R-A-C-E.

Definition

1
A flat open area on the topmost floor of a building or apartment
2
A platform that extends outwards from a building.
3
A raised, flat-topped bank of earth with sloping sides, especially one of a series for farming or leisure; a similar natural area of ground, often next to a river.
4
A step-like landform; (sometimes) remnants of floodplains.
5
A row of residential houses with no gaps between them; a group of row houses.
6
A street with such a group of houses in it.
7
A single house in such a group.
8
The standing area of a sports stadium.
9
The roof of a building, especially if accessible to the residents. Often used for drying laundry, sun-drying foodstuffs, exercise, or sleeping outdoors in hot weather.
10
A champagne, (an ordinary occupying) the base of the shield.

Etymology

Borrowed from French terrasse, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra (“land”). Doublet of terrasse.

Synonyms

terrasse

This word in other languages

terraza(Español)toit-terrasse(Français)Dachterrasse(Deutsch)terraço(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etrrace,terace,terarce,terracce,terraec,terrcae,trerace,tterrace

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of terrace - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "terrace"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "terrace"?

"terrace" is spelled T-E-R-R-A-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛɹəs/.

What does "terrace" mean?

As a noun, "terrace" means: A flat open area on the topmost floor of a building or apartment

What words are commonly confused with "terrace"?

"terrace" is commonly confused with "trace", "Thrace", "terrain". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "terrace"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "terrace" is /ˈtɛɹəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "terrace"?

Borrowed from French terrasse, from Old Occitan terrassa, from terra (“land”). Doublet of terrasse. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “terrace”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is T-E-R-R-A-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈtɛɹəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “trace” - see the side-by-side comparison. terrace vs trace
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.