parterre
UK[pɑːˈtɛə]US[pɑːrˈtɛr]
n
A level garden space in which flower beds are arranged in a decorative pattern.
n
The part of the ground floor of a theater auditorium that is beneath the balcony; the orchestra.
Morpheme Breakdown
par
terre
par
on, at, by
terre
earth, ground
Etymology
The word 'parterre' entered English in the mid-17th century directly from French, where 'par terre' literally means "on the ground." The French term itself is a compound of the preposition 'par' (from Latin 'per', meaning "through, by, on") and the noun 'terre' (from Latin 'terra', meaning "earth, land"). Initially, it described the formal, level planting beds of ornamental gardens at Versailles, which were designed to be viewed from an elevated perspective. This literal sense of a decorative ground-level garden was later extended metaphorically in theater architecture to name the ground-floor seating area, which is also at the lowest level of the auditorium.
Analysis
Structure: par + terre
par (Latin origin, via French, meaning "on, at, by")
terre (Latin origin, via French, from 'terra', meaning "earth, ground")
Examples
The palace's elaborate parterre was designed with intricate patterns of boxwood and colorful annuals.
We had excellent seats in the parterre, right in the center of the fifth row.
The garden's parterre is best appreciated from the terrace above.