parterre

See also: Parterre, partèrre, and par terre

English

WOTD – 12 March 2016

The Parterre at Cliveden in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England, in the United Kingdom

The parterre of the Théâtre Royal des Galeries in Brussels, Belgium, located under the gallery behind the stalls

Etymology

Borrowed from French parterre (“on the ground”), from par (“on”) + terre (“ground”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɑːˈtɛə/
• IPA^(key): /pɑːɹˈtɛɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: par‧terre

Noun

parterre (plural parterres)

1. (horticulture) A flowerbed, particularly an elevated one.
2. (horticulture) A garden with paths between such flowerbeds.
   • 2015 August 29, Sarah Raven, “The stately home garden where you can pick-and-eat all summer [print version: Pick-and-eat planting for the modern parterre, page 5]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening)‎^[1], archived from the original on 3 September 2015:

     Parham House, near Pulborough in West Sussex, has a four-acre walled garden that was restored in the Twenties and has been maintained at a high level ever since. It is divided into four areas, one of which is filled by the cut-flower borders and a box-enclosed parterre. […] It is traditional in a parterre to mix flowers and veg, but this relaxed jungle of productive plants, packed in tight together, is lusher and more beautiful than the more usual Villandry style, where single or pairs of plants are used.

3. (theater) A part of the section of theater seats located on the ground floor, on the same level as the orchestra.
   • Template:RQ:Chmbrs YngrSt

     That was Selwyn's first encounter with the Ruthvens. A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.

   1. The part of the ground-floor section nearest the orchestra and the stage; the stalls.
   2. (British) The part of the ground-floor section behind the stalls and underneath the galleries; the pit.
4. (theater, by extension) That part of a theater audience seated in the parterre, sometimes regarded as belonging to a lower social class.
5. (US, New York) An apartment balcony.

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Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French parterre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌpɑrˈtɛː.rə/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: par‧ter‧re
• Rhymes: -ɛːrə

Noun

parterre m or n (plural parterres or parterren)

1. ground floor

   Synonym: begane grond

2. parterre, flowerbed
3. parterre, level garden with flowerbeds

Derived terms

• parterretrap

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French

Etymology

From Middle French [Term?]. Equivalent to par +‎ terre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paʁ.tɛʁ/

• audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: par‧terre

Noun

parterre m (plural parterres)

1. part of a garden that is divided into flowerbeds
2. the part of a theater between the stalls and the rear
   1. (by extension) the members of a theater audience seated in the parterre
   2. (by analogy) an assembly or group of people

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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from French parterre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paɾˈtere/ [paɾˈt̪e.re]

Noun

parterre m (plural parterres)

1. Flowerbed.