apartment

[uh-pahrt-muhnt]

noun

1. a room or a group of related rooms, among similar sets in one building, designed for use as a dwelling.

2. a building containing or made up of such rooms.

3. any separated room or group of rooms in a house or other dwelling.

   We heard cries from an apartment at the back of the house.

4. British.,  apartments, a set of rooms used as a dwelling by one person or one family.

apartment

/ əˈpɑːtmənt /

noun

1. (often plural) any room in a building, usually one of several forming a suite, esp one that is spacious and well furnished and used as living accommodation, offices, etc

2. 1. another name (esp US and Canadian) for flat 2

   2. ( as modifier )

      apartment building

      apartment house

Other Word Forms

• apartmental adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of apartment¹

1635–45; < French appartement < Italian appartamento, equivalent to apparta ( re ) to separate, divide (verbal derivative of a parte apart, to one side) + -mento -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of apartment¹

C17: from French appartement, from Italian appartamento, from appartare to set on one side, separate

Example Sentences

She and her siblings had been left sleeping in a holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry, went to a nearby restaurant.

From BBC

Mr Furfey, who was 42, was found with serious injuries at an apartment building in in Wardsborough Road on Monday morning.

From BBC

The first floor is home to the personal apartments of the ambassador.

From BBC

One person is dead after a fire broke out at a high-rise apartment complex early Tuesday morning in downtown Los Angeles, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

I wanted them to meet on neutral territory before bringing Tom into my apartment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• co-op 
• condo 
• condominium 
• cooperative 
• flat 
• suite