pied-à-terre

[ pee-ey-duh-tair, -dah-, pyey- ]

noun

, plural pieds-à-terre [pee-ey-d, uh, -, tair, -dah-, pyey-],

1. a residence, as an apartment, for part-time or temporary use.

pied-à-terre

/ ˌpjeɪtɑːˈtɛə /

noun

1. a flat, house, or other lodging for secondary or occasional use

Word History and Origins

Origin of pied-à-terre¹

1820–30; < French: literally, foot on ground

Word History and Origins

Origin of pied-à-terre¹

French, literally: foot on (the) ground

Example Sentences

Blakeney had more than one pied-a-terre in Paris, and never stayed longer than two or three days in any of these.

From Project Gutenberg

The Sparrow had twenty names—one for every city in which he had a cosy pied-a-terre.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, Dr. Lyschinski's was hardly more than a pied-a-terre for him: he never stayed long, and generally came unexpectedly.

From Project Gutenberg

He had made up his mind not to return to Wimbledon, but to make use of a certain pied-a-terre which he had in Pimlico.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apartment
• box
• building
• condo
• condominium
• dwelling
• home
• mansion
• residence
• shack