Apartment

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈpɑːt.mənt/

Definitions

1. A self-contained residential unit within a larger building, typically consisting of one or more rooms for living, sleeping, and cooking
2. A residential space located in a multi-family structure, often including rooms designed for cooking, sleeping, and everyday activities
3. A dwelling unit situated in a larger building, often comprising essential spaces for sleeping, cooking, and lounging activities

Etymology: The modern sense of "apartment" is almost a reversal of its original meaning. In Italian, "appartamento" meant a set of rooms, and by the time it reached French its sense had narrowed toward a private suite in a grand house. Its ultimate root is Spanish "apartamiento," meaning "separation" or "seclusion," built from "apart" plus the suffix "-ment," which turns a verb-like idea into a noun for the state or result of an action. So the word began as a name for being set aside from others. The Spanish root carries that idea of withdrawal. The Italian form then came to mean a set of rooms set apart for a particular person or purpose, and French took it up with the same sense of a private, separated suite. English borrowed the French word, and the idea of a secluded space gradually became the idea of a self-contained home inside a larger building.

Synonyms: flat, condominium, unit, suite, lodging

Antonyms: house, mansion