loft

 
Pronunciation: /lɒft/

noun

  • 1a room or space directly under the roof of a house or other building, used for accommodation or storage: the best way to prevent this heat loss is by insulating the loft [as modifier]: loft conversions
  • a gallery in a church or hall: a choir loft
  • a large, open area in a warehouse, factory, or other large building that has been converted into living space.
  • a pigeon house.
  • US part of a room on a higher level than the rest of the room.
  • 2 [mass noun] Golf upward inclination given to the ball in a stroke.
  • backward slope of the head of a club, designed to give upward inclination to the ball: the extra loft reduces sidespin
  • 3 [mass noun] the thickness of insulating matter in an object such as a sleeping bag.

verb

  • 1 [with object and adverbial of direction] kick, hit, or throw (a ball or missile) high up: he lofted the ball over the goalkeeper
  • 2 [with object] (usually as adjective lofted) give backward slope to the head of (a golf club): a lofted metal club

Origin:

late Old English, from Old Norse lopt 'air, sky, upper room', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lucht and German Luft