Terrace vs. Roof — What's the Difference?

A level platform, sometimes used for gardening or leisure activities.

The external upper covering of a house or building.

A row of houses built in a continuous line with shared walls.

A structure forming the upper covering of a building or vehicle.

A flat paved or earthen area adjoining a building.

The material or structure used to cover a building.

A series of flat areas made on a slope, used for cultivation.

The upper limit or ceiling of a room or space.

A level paved area next to a building; a patio

A roof is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of temperature, and wind. A roof is part of the building envelope.

Each of a series of flat areas made on a slope, used for cultivation.

The structure forming the upper covering of a building or vehicle

A row of houses built in one block in a uniform style

The upper limit or level of prices or wages

Make or form (sloping land) into a number of level flat areas resembling a series of steps

Cover with a roof

A porch or walkway bordered by colonnades.

The exterior surface and its supporting structures on the top of a building.

A platform extending outdoors from a floor of a house or apartment building.

The upper exterior surface of a dwelling as a symbol of the home itself

An open, often paved area adjacent to a house serving as an outdoor living space; a patio.

The top covering of something

A raised bank of earth having vertical or sloping sides and a flat top

The upper surface of an anatomical structure, especially one having a vaulted inner structure

A flat, narrow stretch of ground, often having a steep slope facing a river, lake, or sea.

The highest point or limit; the summit or ceiling

A row of buildings erected on raised ground or on a sloping site.

To furnish with a roof or cover.

A section of row houses.

(architecture) The external covering at the top of a building.

Abbr. Ter. or Terr. A residential street, especially along the top or slope of a hill.

The top external level of a building.

A narrow strip of landscaped earth in the middle of a street.

The upper part of a cavity.

To provide (a house, for example) with a terrace or terraces.

(mining) The surface or bed of rock immediately overlying a bed of coal or a flat vein.

To form (a hillside or sloping lawn, for example) into terraces.

(climbing) An overhanging rock wall.

A flat open area on the topmost floor of a building or apartment

(transitive) To cover or furnish with a roof.

A platform that extends outwards from a building.

To traverse buildings by walking or climbing across their roofs.

(agriculture) A raised, flat-topped bank of earth with sloping sides, especially one of a series for farming or leisure; a similar natural area of ground, often next to a river.

To put into prison, to bird.

(geology) A step-like landform; (sometimes) remnants of floodplains.

(transitive) To shelter as if under a roof.

A row of residential houses with no gaps between them; a group of row houses.

The cover of any building, including the roofing (see Roofing) and all the materials and construction necessary to carry and maintain the same upon the walls or other uprights. In the case of a building with vaulted ceilings protected by an outer roof, some writers call the vault the roof, and the outer protection the roof mask. It is better, however, to consider the vault as the ceiling only, in cases where it has farther covering.

A single house in such a group.

That which resembles, or corresponds to, the covering or the ceiling of a house; as, the roof of a cavern; the roof of the mouth.

The standing area of a sports stadium.

The surface or bed of rock immediately overlying a bed of coal or a flat vein.

The roof of a building, especially if accessible to the residents. Often used for drying laundry, sun-drying foodstuffs, exercise, or sleeping outdoors in hot weather.

To cover with a roof.

To provide something with a terrace.

To inclose in a house; figuratively, to shelter.

To form something into a terrace.

A protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

A raised level space, shelf, or platform of earth, supported on one or more sides by a wall, a bank of tuft, or the like, whether designed for use or pleasure.

Protective covering on top of a motor vehicle

A balcony, especially a large and uncovered one.

Provide a building with a roof; cover a building with a roof

A flat roof to a house; as, the buildings of the Oriental nations are covered with terraces.

The top covering of a building, providing protection from the elements.

A street, or a row of houses, on a bank or the side of a hill; hence, any street, or row of houses.

A level plain, usually with a steep front, bordering a river, a lake, or sometimes the sea.

To form into a terrace or terraces; to furnish with a terrace or terraces, as, to terrace a garden, or a building.

Usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

A level shelf of land interrupting a declivity (with steep slopes above and below)

A row of houses built in a similar style and having common dividing walls (or the street on which they face);

Provide (a house) with a terrace;

Make into terraces as for cultivation;

An open, flat area, often on the top of a building or at ground level.

Yes, if designed for accessibility and safety, a roof can function as a terrace.

A roof is the top covering of a building, designed for protection from weather and insulation.

Most terraces are flat to facilitate usability, but they can have slight slopes for drainage.

Yes, roofs are integral to a building's design and architecture.

Roofs require regular inspection, cleaning, and repairs as needed.

Not necessarily. Roofs can be flat, sloped, or have various other shapes.

Terraces are used for dining, gardening, socializing, and relaxation.

Virtually all buildings have roofs to provide shelter and protection.

Yes, some terraces have pergolas or other coverings for shade and protection.

Terraces can be partially enclosed with walls, railings, or glass for safety and comfort.

A terrace is an open, flat area, often used for leisure or gardening, attached to a building.

Common materials include shingles, tiles, metal, and thatch.

Terraces often add value by providing desirable outdoor space.

Yes, terraces can be at ground level, especially in gardens or attached to houses.

The terrace is for leisure and usability, while the roof's primary purpose is protection.