attic
1 Americannoun
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the part of a building, especially of a house, directly under a roof; garret.
-
a room or rooms in an attic.
-
a low story or decorative wall above an entablature or the main cornice of a building.
-
Anatomy. the upper part of the tympanic cavity of the ear.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of Greece or of Athens.
-
(often lowercase) displaying simple elegance, incisive intelligence, and delicate wit.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to Attica, its inhabitants, or the dialect of Greek spoken there, esp in classical times
-
(often not capital) classically elegant, simple, or pure
an Attic style
noun
noun
-
a space or room within the roof of a house
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architect a storey or low wall above the cornice of a classical façade
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The ’90s-themed attic, which he says is a metaphor for his mind, serves as the backdrop for his latest project: a podcast called “Big Bro With Kid Cudi,” premiering Wednesday via Wave Sports and Entertainment.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
For two years, we lived in the attic of a family friend’s house in East Los Angeles.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Just days before Netflix airs a serialised adaptation of the novel, hundreds of curious visitors have come to the museum, squeezing past one another on the narrow wooden stairs up to Basmaci's attic room.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Omer Sheikh was in the house during the search and directed investigators to the attic, where 121 boxes of rubber gloves were discovered, as well as a box of face masks.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
And then the man’s voice comes clear to the attic.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.