flats: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to Informal for the 'apartment' sense; 'shoes' sense is fashion-related and everyday.
Quick answer
What does “flats” mean?
A set of rooms forming one residence within a larger building, typically on one floor.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A set of rooms forming one residence within a larger building, typically on one floor.
1) (plural of 'flat') Multiple individual apartment residences. 2) (plural of 'flat') Women's shoes with very low heels and no platform. 3) (singular noun, informal) A flat tyre (US: 'flat tire').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'flats' primarily means apartments. In American English, 'flats' is rare for apartments (where 'apartments' is standard); it's more common for 'flat shoes' or 'flat tires'.
Connotations
In UK, 'flats' is a neutral, common term for housing. In US, using 'flats' for housing might sound British or archaic. The 'shoes' sense is shared but 'flats' is slightly more formal/fashion-term than 'ballet flats' or 'loafers'.
Frequency
High frequency in UK English for housing; moderate frequency in US English for shoes/tyres.
Grammar
How to Use “flats” in a Sentence
rent + flatslook for + flatsa block of + flatsa pair of + flatsVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In UK property listings: 'New development of luxury flats for sale.'
Academic
In urban studies: 'Post-war housing policy favored the construction of high-rise flats.'
Everyday
UK: 'I'm viewing three flats tomorrow.' US/Shared: 'I need to change my flats for heels.'
Technical
In shoe design: 'The collection features patent leather flats.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flats”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flats”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flats”
- Using 'a flat' in singular to mean a single apartment is correct in UK English but can be misunderstood in US English as 'a flat tyre'.
- Incorrect: 'I live in a flats.' (Correct: 'I live in a flat.' or 'I live in the flats.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is plural. The singular is 'flat' (UK: one apartment; US/UK: one deflated tyre; one type of shoe).
It is not standard and may cause confusion. Americans almost exclusively say 'apartments' for housing. Use 'flats' only in the context of shoes or tyres.
'Ballet flats' is a specific, common subtype of flat shoes, inspired by ballet slippers. 'Flats' is the general category for all low-heeled shoes.
It is a building containing multiple individual flat (apartment) residences, typically with a shared entrance and stairwell or lift.
A set of rooms forming one residence within a larger building, typically on one floor.
Flats is usually neutral to informal for the 'apartment' sense; 'shoes' sense is fashion-related and everyday. in register.
Flats: in British English it is pronounced /flæts/, and in American English it is pronounced /flæts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(to) fall flat (on one's face)”
- “(in) two shakes (of a lamb's tail) – unrelated but phonetically similar 'flat'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a building where all the floors are FLAT, and each floor has an apartment = a FLAT. Many apartments = FLATS.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOUSING IS A LAYER (flats are layered on top of each other); SIMPLICITY/COMFORT IS FLAT (flat shoes are for comfort, unlike elevated heels).
Practice
Quiz
In American English, what is the most common meaning of 'flats'?