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attic

noun (1)
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at·​tic | \ ˈa-tik How to pronounce attic (audio) \

Definition of attic

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a low story or wall above the main order of a facade in the classical styles
2 : a room behind an attic
3 : a room or a space immediately below the roof of a building : garret
4 : something resembling an attic (as in being used for storage)

Attic

adjective
At·​tic | \ ˈa-tik How to pronounce Attic (audio) \

Definition of Attic (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of Athens or its ancient civilization
2 : marked by simplicity, purity, and refinement an Attic prose style

Attic

noun (2)

Definition of Attic (Entry 3 of 3)

: a dialect of ancient Greek originally used in Attica and later the literary language of the Greek-speaking world
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Synonyms for attic

Synonyms: Noun (1)

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Examples of attic in a Sentence

Noun (1) rented the attic out to a college student
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Police said the man was killed when rebels fighting against Indian rule shot at paramilitary soldiers from a mosque attic in Sopore. — Washington Post, "Photo of toddler sitting on slain grandpa angers Kashmiris," 2 July 2020 Layered in rich colors and graphic neutrals, the attic is now a cozy reprieve that pairs old and new. — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, "The Final Reveals from the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge Offer So Much Interior Design Inspiration," 24 June 2020 Eagle-eyed viewers can see which books surround Seth Myers in his attic. — Elias Williams, National Geographic, "New York’s arts scene remains shut down indefinitely—can it evolve and survive?," 15 June 2020 For generations, a treasure was kept inside the attic of a Northern New Jersey home. — CBS News, "Family discovers trove of valuable baseball memorabilia in uncle's attic," 20 June 2020 The family lived in a furbished attic on Cesar Chavez Drive. — Ricardo Torres, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee DACA recipients 'elated' over Supreme Court decision sparing the program but remain worried," 18 June 2020 Emanuele Pipola said someone else had access to the attic. — USA TODAY, "Stolen Banksy artwork honoring Bataclan victims found in Italy," 12 June 2020 In the episode, Kimmy, Stephanie, and D.J. head to the attic in hopes of finding something borrowed to wear on their joint wedding day when Kimmy spots Michelle's old bike. — Sabienna Bowman, refinery29.com, "Fuller House’s Final Season Snuck In A Cheeky Goodbye To Michelle Tanner," 3 June 2020 If that old push-button reel isn’t in a landfill somewhere, it has probably long been relegated to an attic or basement, where your own kids may come across it one day. — The Editors, Field & Stream, "Three Reasons to Fish with a Push-Button Reel," 1 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'attic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of attic

Noun (1)

circa 1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1653, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for attic

Noun (1)

French attique, from attique of Attica, from Latin Atticus

Adjective

Latin Atticus of Attica, from Greek Attikos, from Attikē Attica, Greece

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Time Traveler for attic

Time Traveler

The first known use of attic was in 1577

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Statistics for attic

Last Updated

5 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Attic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attic. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for attic

attic

noun
How to pronounce Attic (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of attic

: a room or space that is just below the roof of a building and that is often used to store things

attic

noun
at·​tic | \ ˈa-tik How to pronounce attic (audio) \

Kids Definition of attic

: a room or a space just under the roof of a building

attic

noun
at·​tic | \ ˈat-ik How to pronounce attic (audio) \

Medical Definition of attic

: the small upper space of the middle ear

— called also epitympanic recess

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More from Merriam-Webster on attic

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for attic

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with attic

Spanish Central: Translation of attic

Nglish: Translation of attic for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of attic for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about attic

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