attic

1 of 3

noun (1)

at·​tic ˈa-tik 

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

2 of 3

adjective

At·​tic ˈa-tik 

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

3 of 3

noun (2)

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

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• cockloft
• garret
• loft

Example Sentences

Noun (1)

rented the attic out to a college student

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Bruce and her two roommates would turn off the lights and lock themselves in their attic. —Dan Rosenzweig-ziff, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2023

Neighbors leaned out windows and watched from the street below as the fire spread toward the front of the attic. —Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Feb. 2023

Get ready to help haul those records out of the attic, because the music-lover in your life will love this funky and nostalgic gift. —Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 24 Nov. 2022

Authorities said they were told another person, Pablo Ramos, was in the home’s attic. —Dallas News, 18 Aug. 2022

Another 57 packages of cocaine weighing 62 kilograms were found in the attic. —Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Feb. 2023

The founders' ghosts live on in the attic, in dolls' bodies, and Maggie soon becomes enmeshed in their world. —The Week Staff, The Week, 27 Feb. 2023

Firefighters located a fire in the rear corner of the two-family residence with heavy smoke coming from the attic, officials said. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2023

So, clear out your shelves and pull out your dusty old records from the attic. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French attique, from attique of Attica, from Latin Atticus

Adjective

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing attic

• finished basement/attic

• finished basement/attic

Kids Definition

attic

1 of 2 noun

at·​tic ˈat-ik 

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

Attic

2 of 2 adjective

At·​tic

ˈat-ik

: of or relating to Athens

Etymology

Noun

from French attique "attic," from attique (an adjective) "of Attica," from Latin Atticus "of Attica"

Word Origin

In ancient Greece the region around Athens was known as Attica, and many of the buildings in Attica had a special feature of a second wall that extended above the top of the main wall or row of columns supporting the roof. When builders in Europe later copied this feature of Attica's buildings, their buildings were said to be in the style of Attica, or the Attic style. Eventually, the word attic came to be used as a noun to refer to this upper wall and later to a room behind the wall under the roof. Today we refer to any room just underneath the roof as the attic, even when the building is not in the style of those in ancient Attica.

Medical Definition

attic

noun

at·​tic ˈat-ik 

: the small upper space of the middle ear

called also epitympanic recess