mezzanine

Meanings

1. An intermediate floor or storey in between the main floors of a building; specifically, one that is directly above the ground floor which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, and so resembles a large balcony overlooking the ground floor; an entresol.
2. An apartment, room, etc., on such an intermediate floor.
3. The lowest balcony in an auditorium, cinema, theatre, etc.; the dress circle.
4. Additional flooring laid over a floor to bring it up to some height or level.
5. In full mezzanine window: a small window at the height of a mezzanine floor (sense 1.1) or an attic, used to light these floors.
6. A floor under the stage, from which contrivances such as traps are worked.

1. Characteristic of or relating to high-interest loans which have no collateral, and are regarded as intermediate in nature, ranking above equity but below secured loans.
2. Fulfilling an intermediate or secondary function.

1. To fit (a building or other place) with a mezzanine floor.

Etymology

PIE word *médʰyos The noun is borrowed from French mezzanine, and from its etymon Italian mezzanino, from mezzano (“(adjective) middle; (noun) go-between”) + -ino (diminutive suffix). Mezzano is derived from Latin mediānus (“central, middle”, adjective), from medius (“mid, middle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“middle”)) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). The adjective and verb are derived from the noun.