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

Outcast Henry's life fails to improve when his family relocates to Hawkins, where he spends his free time hanging out with spiders in an attic.

From BBC

The collection had been tucked under a pile of old newspapers and cobwebs in the attic of their family home, according to a press release from Heritage Auctions.

From Los Angeles Times

While cleaning out their late mother's California attic last Christmas, three brothers made a life-changing discovery under a pile of faded newspapers: one of the first Superman comics ever made.

From BBC

Fearful she might accidentally break a dish, Ms. Gulati had not removed the dinner service from her attic in years.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Finally, about a year ago, I opened a box in the attic of mementos from my children, their artwork, etc., and was just going through it and encountered his policy.”

From MarketWatch