attic

¹ American  

[at-ik] / ˈæt ɪk /

noun

1. the part of a building, especially of a house, directly under a roof; garret.

2. a room or rooms in an attic.

3. a low story or decorative wall above an entablature or the main cornice of a building.

4. Anatomy. the upper part of the tympanic cavity of the ear.

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Attic ² American  

[at-ik] / ˈæt ɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Greece or of Athens.

2. (often lowercase) displaying simple elegance, incisive intelligence, and delicate wit.

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noun

1. the dialect of ancient Attica that became the standard language of Classical Greek literature in the 5th and 4th centuries b.c.

Attic ¹ British  

/ ˈætɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to Attica, its inhabitants, or the dialect of Greek spoken there, esp in classical times

2. (often not capital) classically elegant, simple, or pure

   an Attic style

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noun

1. the dialect of Ancient Greek spoken and written in Athens: the chief literary dialect of classical Greek See also Aeolic Arcadic Doric Ionic

attic ² British  

/ ˈætɪk /

noun

1. a space or room within the roof of a house

2. architect a storey or low wall above the cornice of a classical façade

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Other Word Forms

• non-Attic adjective

Etymology

Origin of attic¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; special use of Attic

Origin of Attic²

1555–65; < Latin Atticus < Greek Attikós

Example Sentences

We had no home and no possessions, except what could fit in our Toyota and a few boxes in my parents’ attic in south London.

From The Wall Street Journal

Above them was a narrow attic beneath the steep, sloping roof of the first house.

From Literature

Hans took me up to the top of the house, to the attic, where I saw Karli lying stretched out on a mattress by a fire with Mutti kneeling over him, bathing his forehead.

From Literature

For two years, we lived in the attic of a family friend’s house in East Los Angeles.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Hey, did you know that my dad owns some original copies of The Human Torch? I think he left them in the attic. Let’s go find them.”

From Literature