garret
UK: ˈɡærɪt | US: ˈɡærɪt
n. a small, often cramped room or attic at the top of a house, typically under the roof.
The word "garret" traces back to Old French garite (meaning "watchtower" or "sentry post"), derived from the verb garir ("to defend"). The diminutive suffix -et was added, implying a small or secondary structure. Over time, the term shifted from military contexts to domestic architecture, referring to a small top-floor room—often associated with poverty or artistic solitude.
The struggling artist lived in a tiny garret with only a skylight for illumination.
She stored old trunks and boxes in the dusty garret of her childhood home.
The novel’s protagonist wrote poetry in a Parisian garret overlooking the rooftops.
Rain leaked through the garret’s roof during heavy storms.
Historians found centuries-old letters hidden in the garret of the historic mansion.