What does "flat" mean?

1. (level and smooth) having a smooth surface without any parts that are higher than others. 2. (deflated) having no air inside, usually because of a hole. 3. (without bubbles) describing a drink that has lost its bubbles and no longer fizzes. 4. (dull or boring) not interesting or lacking energy. 5. (musical pitch) lower in pitch than the correct note. 6. (an apartment) a set of rooms for living in that are part of a larger building. 7. (shoes without heels) women's shoes that do not have high heels. 8. (exactly) exactly or precisely, especially when talking about time. 9. (completely) completely or absolutely, often used with 'broke' or 'refuse'.

flat — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01level and smooth

A2 · Elementary

adj. having a smooth surface without any parts that are higher than others.

adj. having a horizontal surface without significant elevations or depressions.

“The ground was perfectly flat, making it a great place to pitch our tent.”

“The valley floor is remarkably flat, stretching for miles before the terrain begins to rise into the foothills.”

Synonyms

level even smooth

Antonyms

bumpy sloping uneven

02deflated

A2 · Elementary

adj. having no air inside, usually because of a hole.

adj. lacking sufficient air pressure, typically referring to a pneumatic tyre.

“I was late for work because my bike had a flat tyre.”

“The driver pulled over immediately upon realising that the rear left tyre was completely flat.”

Synonyms

deflated punctured

Antonyms

inflated

03without bubbles

B1 · Intermediate

adj. describing a drink that has lost its bubbles and no longer fizzes.

adj. lacking carbonation or effervescence due to the loss of dissolved carbon dioxide.

“I forgot to put the cap back on the soda, and now it tastes flat.”

“The champagne had been left open overnight and had gone entirely flat by the time brunch was served.”

Synonyms

stillvapid

Antonyms

fizzy sparkling

04dull or boring

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. not interesting or lacking energy.

adj. lacking interest, excitement, or emotional variation.

“The actor's voice was very flat, so the play felt quite boring.”

“Despite the high stakes, the candidate delivered her speech in a flat, uninspiring tone that failed to move the audience.”

Synonyms

dull monotonous lifeless

Antonyms

exciting animated

05musical pitch

B2 · Upper Intermediate Music

adj. lower in pitch than the correct note.

adj. below the intended or true pitch; specifically, lowered by a semitone.

“The piano sounds a bit flat, so we need to call a tuner.”

“The choir director noted that the sopranos were slightly flat during the final chorus of the anthem.”

Synonyms

lowered

Antonyms

sharp

06an apartment

A2 · Elementary Countable noun British English

n. a set of rooms for living in that are part of a larger building.

n. a residential suite occupying part of a building, typically on a single floor.

“They live in a small flat on the third floor of the building.”

“Finding an affordable flat in the city centre has become increasingly difficult for young professionals.”

Usage

In British English, 'flat' is the standard word, whereas 'apartment' is more common in American English.

Synonyms

apartment suite unit

07shoes without heels

B1 · Intermediate Plural noun

n. women's shoes that do not have high heels.

n. a type of shoe with a very low or non-existent heel, usually plural.

“She wore flats to the party because she knew she would be dancing all night.”

“The dress code was formal, but she opted for elegant flats due to a recent ankle injury.”

Synonyms

pumpsballet shoes

Antonyms

heels stilettos

08exactly

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adv. exactly or precisely, especially when talking about time.

adv. precisely or exactly; often used to emphasise the speed or brevity of an action.

“He ran the race in ten seconds flat.”

“The emergency crew arrived in five minutes flat, preventing the fire from spreading to the adjacent units.”

Synonyms

exactly precisely

09completely

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

adv. completely or absolutely, often used with 'broke' or 'refuse'.

adv. completely or utterly; used as an intensifier for certain adjectives or verbs.

“I can't go out tonight because I am flat broke.”

“The manager flat refused to consider the proposal, citing a lack of available funding for the quarter.”

Synonyms

completely utterly absolutely

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “flat” in context.

01. flat fee

flat vs apartment

Flat is the standard British term for a self-contained home on one floor, while apartment is the preferred American term.

RememberFlat = British. Apartment = American.

From Middle English flat, a borrowing from Old Norse flatr (compare Norwegian and Swedish flat, Danish flad), from Proto-Germanic flataz, from Proto-Indo-European pleth₂- (“flat”); akin to Saterland Frisian flot (“smooth”), German Flöz (“a geological layer”), Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús), Latvian plats, Sanskrit प्रथस् (prathas, “extension”). Doublet of plat and pleyt. The noun is from Middle English flat (“level piece of ground, flat edge of a weapon”), from the adjective. The algebraic sense was coined by Serre in a 1956 paper, originally as French plat.

From an alteration (due to Scots flatt (“a level part of a structure”)) of Scots flet, flett (“inner part of a house”), from Middle English flet (“dwelling”), from Old English flet, flett (“ground floor, dwelling”), from Proto-West Germanic flati, from Proto-Germanic flatją (“floor”), from Proto-Germanic flataz (“flat”), from Proto-Indo-European pleth₂- (“flat”). Akin to Old Frisian flet, flette (“dwelling, house”). More at flet, flat₁.

From Middle English flatten, from Old French flatir (“to knock or strike down, dash”), from Frankish flattjan (“to move the palm of the hand”), from Proto-Germanic flatjaną (“to make flat, flatten”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

VERB

NOUN

ADJECTIVE

flat(A2)

ADVERB

flatly(B2)