mezzanine

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
mezzanine /ˈmɛzəniːn, ˈmɛts-/

▶noun

• 1 a low storey between two others, typically between the ground and first floors.

• 2 N. Amer. the lowest balcony of a theatre or the front rows of the balcony.

▶adjective Finance referring to unsecured, higher-yielding loans that are subordinate to bank loans and secured loans but rank above equity.

– origin C18: from Fr., from Ital. mezzanino, dimin. of mezzano ‘middle’, from L. medianus ‘median’.