noun
Uncommon
attic
A-tihk
Attic (noun) means the space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, typically used for storage. Example: “They found boxes of old photographs in the attic.”
noun
1
The space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, typically used for storage.
"We went up to the attic to look for the boxes containing our childhood keepsakes."
"They found boxes of old photographs in the attic."
"It gets very hot in the attic during summer, so we only store old suitcases there."
"He climbed the ladder into the attic to look for the Christmas decorations."
adj
1
Relating to ancient Athens and its surrounding region, or to the classical, refined style associated with it.
"The museum has a fine collection of Attic pottery."
"The play was admired for its Attic elegance and restraint."
"Scholars studied the Attic dialect of Greek used by ancient playwrights."
How to use attic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly the storage space under a roof; less commonly, an adjective describing ancient Athenian style.
Common pairings
dusty attic
attic space
Attic Greek
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Word forms
- Plural
- attics
- Comparative
- more Attic
- Superlative
- most Attic
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They found boxes of old photographs in the _____.
Etymology
From French attique, ultimately from the Greek region Attica — the term originally described a decorative upper storey built in the classical Athenian architectural style.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “attic” mean?
The word “attic” means the space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, typically used for storage. In plain terms, most commonly the storage space under a roof; less commonly, an adjective describing ancient Athenian style.
How do you pronounce “attic”?
“Attic” is pronounced A-tihk (/ˈætɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “attic” in a sentence?
Here is “attic” used in a sentence: “They found boxes of old photographs in the attic.”
What is another word for “attic”?
Words with a similar meaning to “attic” include garret and top floor.
What part of speech is “attic”?
Depending on how it is used, “attic” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “attic” come from?
The word “attic” comes from French. From French attique, ultimately from the Greek region Attica — the term originally described a decorative upper storey built in the classical Athenian architectural style.
Is “attic” a common word?
“Attic” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “attic” have?
“Attic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, typically used for storage.
What is the difference between an attic and a loft?
An "attic" and a "loft" both describe the space directly under a roof, and the terms are largely interchangeable, though "attic" is more common in American English and often implies unfinished storage space, while "loft" is favored in British English and can also describe a converted living space.
Why is "Attic" sometimes capitalized?
When capitalized, "Attic" refers to ancient Athens and its surrounding region, or to the classical, refined style associated with it, as in "Attic Greek." Lowercase "attic" instead refers to the storage space under a roof, so capitalization signals which meaning is intended.
What is an attic typically used for?
An attic is the space, often sloped and unfinished, directly under the roof of a house, and it's typically used for storage rather than daily living. Some attics are converted into usable rooms, but the term itself implies a secondary, often cramped, space.
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