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• attic
  attic

  noun

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

  adjective

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

attic

¹ American  

[at-ik] / ˈæt ɪk /

noun

• attics
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• non-Attic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• attics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of attic¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; special use of Attic

Origin of Attic²

1555–65; < Latin Atticus < Greek Attikós

Explanation

An attic is an unfinished room at the very top of a house, just below the roof. It’s often the setting for creepy stories because it’s a room people don’t go in very often. A finished attic is extra space you can use for a playroom, bedroom, or storage area. In fiction, it’s a great place to stash crazy people. In Charlotte Bronte’s book Jane Eyre, there’s a madwoman in the attic. Some attics don't even have floors that can be walked on, though — they're just empty space at the top of a house. An attic was originally called an attic storey, from the architectural term Attic order.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

attic Attic attics

Arnold was a 9-year-old boy with an elongated ovoid head who enjoyed listening to jazz fusion under the skylight of his attic bedroom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Indeed, I had blocked out most memories of that 2004 Fox reality train wreck until Carr’s documentary reached into my mind’s cobwebby attic and retrieved its cabinet of horrors.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026

Decluttering an attic is not just an emotional project.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Miss Marple is climbing out of the literary attic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

“Tigers? What nonsense. Go back to your books and globes and whatnots, what? The attic is no place for singing.”

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Thompson also said the book that most changed her life was Madwoman in the Attic, which she read as a student at the University of Cambridge.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

While the work of their Attic cousins is celebrated for being high-minded and idealistic—all those ripped bodies, gods and goddesses—theirs, with its focus on everyday individuals and events, can be seen as prosaic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025

Now in his 10th season as a color commentator and analyst for the team on SportsNet LA, Hershiser enjoys a side hustle running a collectibles store in Claremont called Legends’ Attic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2025

Andrews books, I devoured "Flowers in the Attic," and that whole series.

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2023

“In the fourth century B.C., the sailing of the entire Attic fleet was delayed just because a soldier sneezed.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Larger homes, attics, basements, garages and spare bedrooms reduce the urgency to make choices.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Homeowners say their builders have made mistakes as they attempt to put up homes as quickly and cheaply as possible, installing improperly sized HVACs, putting in windows incorrectly, or poorly ventilating attics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

The reel was shrunken through age and frayed, but otherwise in remarkable condition for something stashed in sun-heated attics for years.

From Barron's ● Apr. 13, 2026

"Most of the species that are vulnerable to this disease migrate away from those habitats in spring to give birth in trees or in human structures such as barns or attics," Johnson said.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2024

Then the very decided sound of someone mounting the stairs—doors opening and shutting—feet going up to the attics overhead.

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie