Basic Details
Word: Terracotta
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A type of clay that is baked to make hard pottery, often reddish-brown in colour.
Synonyms: Earthenware, Pottery
Antonyms: Porcelain, Stoneware
Idioms and Phrases
- Put all your eggs in one terracotta pot: To risk everything on a single plan or idea. Example: "Investing all your savings in one business is like putting all your eggs in one terracotta pot."
- Terracotta heart: Used to describe someone who seems tough but is actually soft inside. Example: "He looks tough, but he has a terracotta heart; he is always helping others."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The children enjoyed making their own terracotta pots during the art class.
Example 2: The ancient sculpture was made of terracotta and had beautiful designs etched into its surface.
Example 3: We visited a museum that displayed stunning terracotta warriors from ancient China.
Fun Fact
Did you know that the famous Terracotta Army, discovered in Xi'an, China, consists of more than 8,000 life-sized sculptures designed to protect the tomb of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang?
Famous Quote
"Art is the most beautiful of all lies; it can be a terracotta of masculine quality, or it can be gentle, delicate and feminine." - Marc Chagall
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "terracotta" mean?
a) A type of food
b) A kind of clay for pottery
c) A colour of paint
d) A type of metal
Answer: b) A kind of clay for pottery
2. Which of these is a synonym of "terracotta"?
a) Stoneware
b) Earthenware
c) Porcelain
d) Glass
Answer: b) Earthenware
3. What is an antonym of "terracotta"?
a) Clay
b) Mud
c) Porcelain
d) Paper
Answer: c) Porcelain
4. Which sentence uses "terracotta" correctly?
a) The terracotta bowl broke when it fell on the floor.
b) The terracotta flew high in the sky.
c) She drank water from the terracotta flower.
d) He painted the terracotta with bright colours.
Answer: a) The terracotta bowl broke when it fell on the floor.
5. Which idiom uses the word "terracotta"?
a) Terracotta heart
b) Caught in a web
c) A drop in the ocean
d) Curiosity killed the cat
Answer: a) Terracotta heart
