fresco

A picture painted on a wall or ceiling while its surface is still wet.

• A fresco covers the church ceiling.
• They restored the faded fresco above the door.
• The chapel contains several beautifully preserved frescoes.

Common phrases: ancient fresco, ceiling fresco, restore a fresco

A way of painting with water-based colours on a wall or ceiling whose surface is still wet.

• The artist works in fresco.
• Fresco requires the painter to work before the plaster dries.
• We learned the basics of fresco at art school.

Common phrases: paint in fresco, fresco technique, fresco painting

Pleasantly cool air or a cool, shaded place.

• They rested in the fresco beneath the trees.
• We enjoyed the evening fresco after the day’s heat.
• The garden’s fresco offered relief from the summer sun.

Similar words: coolness, shade

Opposites: heat

Common phrases: in the fresco, evening fresco

To paint a picture on a wall or ceiling while its surface is still wet.

• The artist will fresco the wall.
• She frescoed the ceiling with scenes of village life.
• Several painters helped to fresco the new chapel.

How to use it: fresco something (They hired an artist to fresco the chapel ceiling.)

Common phrases: fresco a wall, fresco the ceiling