TERRA

‖Ter″ra (?), n. [[It. & L. See Terrace.]] The earth; earth. Terra alba [] (Com.), a white amorphous earthy substance consisting of burnt gypsum, aluminium silicate (kaolin), or some similar ingredient, as magnesia. It is sometimes used to adulterate certain foods, spices, candies, paints, etc. — Terra cotta. [[It., fr. terra earth + cotta, fem. of cotto cooked, L. coctus, p. p. of coquere to cook. See Cook, n.]] Baked clay; a kind of hard pottery used for statues, architectural decorations, figures, vases, and the like. — Terræ filius [], formerly, one appointed to write a satirical Latin poem at the public acts in the University of Oxford; — not unlike the prevaricator at Cambridge, England. — Terra firma [], firm or solid earth, as opposed to water. — Terra Japonica. [] Same as Gambier. It was formerly supposed to be a kind of earth from Japan. — Terra Lemnia [], Lemnian earth. See under Lemnian. — Terra ponderosa [] (Min.), barite, or heavy spar. — Terra di Sienna. See Sienna.