Word of the Day : October 28, 2017

alfresco \al-FRESS-koh\ adjective or adverb

Definition

: taking place or located in the open air : outdoor, outdoors

Examples

The restaurant has a lovely outdoor patio for customers who want to dine alfresco.

"The sleek San Fernando Road gym features ... a hand-built lounge area with highlighter-hued patio furniture and ... alfresco exercise mats and boxing bags. — Sophia Kercher, The Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2017

Did You Know?

In addition to describing a type of dining, alfresco can also describe a kind of painting. The word fresco, which comes from the Italian adjective fresco, meaning "fresh," refers to a method of painting on fresh plaster. Although the "outdoors" sense of alfresco is by far the most common in current use, the term is sometimes used to describe painting done in the fresco manner—that is, on fresh plaster.

Aired October 28, 2017

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