flat English · revision 3771

+ English has two words spelled ''flat'': “level”, from Old Norse, and the apartment, an alteration of Scots flet, from Old English; the two are related.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /flæt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|level}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=non flatr}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The level is [[inh|enm|flat]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|non|flatr|t=flat]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from [[gem-pro|*flataz]],^(Hoad 1986) which is also the source of Old Saxon flat “flat, shallow” and Old High German flaz “flat, level”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*plat-|t=to spread]],^(Etymonline) the root also of Greek platýs “flat, broad” and Latvian plañdît “to make broad”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Hoad calls the Germanic word of uncertain origin.^(Hoad 1986) It is related to [[place]] and [[plate]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Stretched out, prostrate, lying at full length: about 1300 in Etymonline^(Etymonline) and Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) and about 1320 in the OED.^(OED 1989) The noun “level ground” is in place names from 1167, as Kirkeflat.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Level, all in one plane, even” is from the mid-14th century, and “without curvature” from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Of a building levelled with the ground it is from 1560.^(OED 1989) “Prosaic, dull”, from the notion of featureless, is from the 1570s,^(Etymonline) and of drink from about 1600.^(Etymonline) Of musical notes, lower than the intended pitch, it is from the 1590s,^(Etymonline) first recorded in Shakespeare's ''Two Gentlemen of Verona'' (1594);^(Barnhart 1988) the flat sign and the natural sign are modified forms of the letter b.^(Etymonline) The adverb “absolutely, downright” is from the 1550s.^(Etymonline) A flat surface, as of a sword, is from the late 14th century, and a low shoe from 1834.^(Etymonline) The ''flat tyre'' is from 1908,^(Etymonline) ''flat-earth'' from 1876,^(Etymonline) and ''flat out'', first in motor racing, from 1932.^(Etymonline) To ''flatline'', to die, after the straight line on a heart monitor, dates from the 1970s.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1167 – the place name Kirkeflat.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – prostrate.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-14th century – level, even.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1550s – adverb, absolutely.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570s – dull.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1594 – of a musical note.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1600 – of drink.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1908 – ''flat tyre''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1932 – ''flat out''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having a level surface without slope or curve.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Smooth and even.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Broad and thin.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Lying at full length; [[prostrate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Dull and lifeless; of a drink, no longer [[effervescent|alt=fizzy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Fixed; unvarying: ''a flat rate''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of a tyre, deflated.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In music, lower than the correct [[pitch]], or a [[semitone]] lower than the natural note.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Level with the ground; at full length.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Directly; completely: ''flat broke''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Exactly: ''in ten seconds flat''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A flat surface or part.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A stretch of level ground, often by water.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A deflated tyre.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In music, a flat note, or the sign ♭.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[flatly]]

+ * [[flatness]]

+ * [[flatten]]

+ * [[flattish]]

+ * [[flatfish]]

+ * [[flatfoot]]

+ * [[flatboat]]

+ * [[flatcar]]

+ * [[flatiron]]

+ * [[flatline]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|apartment}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1801|origins=gem-pro *flatjam}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The apartment is [[inh|sco|flet|t=floor or storey of a house, inner part of a house]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) altered by association with flat “level”,^(Hoad 1986) [[inh|enm|flet|t=room, hall]],^(Barnhart 1988) [[inh|ang|flett|t=a dwelling, hall; floor, ground]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*flatjam]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) a derivative of *flataz “flat”,^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*plat-|t=to spread]].^(Etymonline) Old Saxon flet “room, house” and Old High German flezzi “floor” are cognates.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A floor or storey of a house: 1801, Scottish,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) with the Old English word for a dwelling or floor going back to about 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A set of rooms on one floor, forming a residence, is first recorded in Scott's ''Redgauntlet'' (1824).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The word is chiefly British,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Collins 2023) and Americans say [[apartment]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English flett, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1801 – a storey.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1824 – an apartment.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly British)'' A set of rooms on one floor forming a home; an [[apartment]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[flatmate]]

+ * [[flatlet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plate]]

+ * [[place]]

+ * [[plaice]]

+ * [[platypus]]

+ * [[plan]]

+ * [[flatter]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}