Flat

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Flat

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adjective, noun, adverb, and verb

Pronunciation

FLAT  /flat/

Definition

As an adjective: having a level, even surface; horizontal; lacking height or depth; below the correct musical pitch; (of a battery) having no charge. As a noun: a self-contained set of rooms forming a dwelling within a larger building; a level area of ground; a musical note lowered by a semitone. As an adverb: spread out, lying horizontally; directly and completely.

Plain meaning

Level, smooth, and without height — a flat surface, a flat landscape. As a noun, a British home within a larger building. In music, a note lowered by one semitone.

Register

Neutral and versatile across all registers. The housing sense is specifically British English.