socarrat
/ˌsɒk.əˈræt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A decorative Spanish tile, often painted or carved, used in traditional building and design. It is especially linked to Mediterranean architecture.
- The museum showed a rare socarrat.
- We saw socarrats in the old house.
Adinary Nuance
Socarrat is more specific than tile, because it refers to a traditional decorative Spanish tile. It is also narrower than ceramic, which can mean many clay objects. Use socarrat when you want the cultural and architectural term, not the general material name.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- gạch trang trí
- Spanish
- azulejo decorativo
- Chinese
- 装饰瓦
- Japanese
- 装飾タイル
- Korean
- 장식 타일
Etymology
Socarrat comes from Catalan, where it refers to a baked or burnt clay item. The word entered English through Spanish and art-history writing.
Common phrases
decorative socarrattraditional socarratpainted socarrat
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is socarrat a common English word?
- No, it is rare. People usually see it in art, design, or history writing.
- Can I use socarrat instead of tile?
- Not usually. Socarrat is a special kind of tile, so tile is the broader word.
- Is socarrat used in everyday speech?
- Very rarely. Most speakers would need a short explanation.