attic

UK /ˈæt.ɪk/ US /ˈæt̬.ɪk/ Syllables: at-tic

Pronunciation

Noun A1 Beginner Neutral

The space just under the roof of a house, often used for storage.

An attic is the space just under the roof of a house. It is often used for storage, and people keep old boxes, trunks and toys there. Some attics have been made into extra bedrooms or offices, with windows in the roof. Attics are usually reached by a narrow stair or a ladder. The word has a special meaning in stories, where an attic is a mysterious place full of forgotten things and dust. A British word with the same meaning is loft.

"We found old photo albums boxed up in the attic."

Example sentences

"We keep old suitcases in the attic."

Level A2
"The attic was full of dust and spiderwebs."

Level A2
"She turned the attic into a quiet office."

Level B1
"A ladder leads up to the attic."

Level A2

Synonyms and antonyms

Synonyms

loft

Antonyms

cellar

Look-alikes and common mistakes

basement : A basement is below the house. An attic is above, under the roof.
loft : Loft is the British word for an attic. A loft can also mean a high space in a barn.

Word family and forms

Forms: attics

loft garret attic room

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "attic".

in the attic
a dusty attic
an attic room
an attic window
clean the attic
an attic bedroom

Origin

Attic comes from the word Attic, which describes the style of Athens in ancient Greece. In architecture, the top floor of a building was decorated in an Attic style, and the name was passed to the space just under the roof. The word reached English in the 1690s by way of French.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Attic and attack are different words, but both start with the same two letters. An attic is up high, under the roof.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "We keep old suitcases in the _____."

Answer: attic

In your own words, what does "attic" mean?