flat
/flæt/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
- 1.
Having a level surface, or lying even with no raised parts. It can also mean something is not curved or sloped.
- The road was flat and easy to cycle on.
- Put the box on a flat surface.
- 2.
Having little or no volume, energy, or excitement. It can describe a voice, mood, or feeling.
- Her voice sounded flat on the phone.
- The ending felt flat to me.
noun
- 1.
A flat is a set of rooms in a larger building. This is common in British English.
- They live in a small flat near the station.
- I rented a flat in London.
- 2.
A tyre that has no air in it.
- My bike got a flat on the way home.
- We had to stop because of a flat tyre.
Adinary Nuance
Flat is close to words like level, even, dull, and apartment, but it is not the same as any of them. Use flat for a surface with no slope, or for something that feels weak or lifeless. In British English, flat also means an apartment, while in American English people usually say apartment.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bằng phẳng
- Spanish
- plano
- Chinese
- 平的
- Japanese
- 平らな
- Korean
- 평평한
Etymology
Flat comes from Old Norse flatr, meaning 'level' or 'broad'. It entered English before 1000 and later developed the British meaning 'apartment'.
Common phrases
flat surfaceflat tyreflat voiceflat rate
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is flat the same as apartment?
- In British English, yes. In American English, people usually say apartment.
- What is the difference between flat and level?
- Both describe surfaces with no slope. Flat is more common in everyday speech.
- Can flat describe a voice?
- Yes. A flat voice sounds lifeless, dull, or without much emotion.
- Is flat formal or informal?
- It is common in both speech and writing. The apartment meaning is especially British.