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Definition of fresco

fresco

/ˈfrɛskoʊ/
fres · co

Plural:frescoes
•
Past Simple:frescoed
•
Past Participle:frescoed
•
Present Participle:frescoing
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fresco Lexical Profile

fresco Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A specific mural or painting created using the technique of applying water-based pigment to wet plaster.

Example

"Michelangelo's work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is perhaps the most famous fresco in the world."


2

A technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid lime plaster, allowing water-based pigments to bind permanently with the wall as it dries.

Example

"During the Italian Renaissance, many master painters perfected the art of fresco to decorate expansive church ceilings."

• verb

1

To paint a mural on freshly laid lime plaster.

Example

"The skilled artisans were commissioned to fresco the interior walls of the newly constructed cathedral."

• Rhymes for fresco

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian 'fresco' (meaning 'fresh'), short for 'affresco' (painting on fresh plaster). This ultimately stems from a Germanic root akin to the English word 'fresh'.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fresco. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fresco
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