flat
UK[flat]US[flat]
adj
Level and smooth, with no curved, high, or hollow parts
adj
Having a broad level surface but little height or depth
adj
Fixed and not changing; absolute
adj
Lacking interest or emotion; dull
adj
(of a tire) Having lost most or all of its air because of a puncture or leak
adj
(of a carbonated drink) No longer fizzy
adj
(music) Lower in pitch by a semitone
n
A set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a building
n
(music) A note lowered a semitone below natural pitch
n
A flat tire
n
(chiefly North America) A shallow container, especially for plants or seedlings
Etymology
The word 'flat' entered Middle English from Old Norse 'flatr', meaning 'level, shallow'. This Norse term is cognate with Old English 'flet', meaning 'floor, dwelling', and both descend from the Proto-Germanic flataz. This Germanic root is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root plat-, meaning 'to spread' or 'broad', a root also giving rise to words like 'plate' and 'place' via Greek and Latin. The semantic journey from the ancient concept of 'spread out' to the modern meanings of 'level', 'dull', 'absolute', and 'apartment' is a clear example of meaning branching from a concrete physical description to various abstract and figurative applications.
Analysis
The word 'flat' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
The countryside is very flat here, with few hills.
She spoke in a flat, monotonous voice throughout the presentation.
We had to pull over because we got a flat tire.