Floor of a dwelling contained within the eaves of the roof structure.
The word originally denoted any portion of a wall above the main cornice (see entablature ). Used by the ancient Romans principally for decorative purposes and inscriptions, as in triumphal arches , it became an important part of the Renaissance facade, often enclosing an additional story.
Inscribed attic surmounting the main cornice of the Arch of Titus, Rome, AD 81
A.F. Kersting