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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

Pack them up, put them in the attic, let them collect some dust.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Not only was he not making money, he was probably losing money, as the cost of living eroded his savings like moths eating clothes stored in the attic.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

Lorne believes he caught hantavirus from mouse droppings after shaking a rug in his attic.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

I spent hours with Dad in our garage grease pit bleeding brakes, in our attic installing insulation, in the furnace room adjusting burners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

He’s careful, doing as little hammering as possible, and when he’s done, I can’t tell that his wall is not the wall of our attic.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

“Classical Body,” which pairs Attic vases and flasks with a series of fluted Grecian gowns elevated above—super-model goddesses in pale gold—sets the aspirational yet unforgiving female physical ideal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

The poems have been published in a collection called Poems from an Attic, which also includes a poem about her husband, historian Michael Foot.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

What a moment for the baseball players at South Hills as they got some advice from Orel Hersisher on Dodgers Day at the Legends Attic in Claremont.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 23, 2024

“You can find locals dining outdoors at Natalia’s Cafe, an old school diner famous for its home-cooked breakfast, sipping merlot at Camas Cellars and perusing the ever-changing art at the Attic Gallery.”

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 11, 2024

He got up early every day, bathed, shaved, and put on a necktie to translate Attic Greek for two hours before breakfast.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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

Canes disappeared into attics, vaults and closets; they resurfaced in junk shops and online auctions.

From New York Times ● Jan. 20, 2024

Many of their holdings are salvaged from attics, antique shops, book fairs, garage sales.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2024

I followed still, up a very narrow staircase to the attics, and thence by a ladder and through a trap-door to the roof of the hall.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë