rooftop

rooftop — noun

1. the flat or gently sloping outer surface of a building's roof, often used as

1.nounB1
Definition

the flat or gently sloping outer surface of a building's roof, often used as a usable outdoor space where people can sit, walk, or place things

Example

From the hotel rooftop, Kian could see the entire city skyline.

from the [place] rooftop

The restaurant has a popular rooftop bar that opens every summer evening.

rooftop used as modifier: rooftop bar/garden/terrace

Synonyms
  • roof

    broader term that includes the whole structure covering a building

  • terrace

    a paved outdoor area, which may be on the ground or on top of a building

  • deck

    a wooden or stone platform built on a roof, often part of a house

Common Mistakes

❌ 'We ate dinner on the roof garden.' ✅ 'We ate dinner on the rooftop garden.' — 'rooftop' highlights the usable outer surface, while 'roof' often refers to the building structure itself.

Idioms

shout, etc. something from the rooftops

idiom

To tell everyone about something in a very open and excited way.

Maya got the job and shouted the news from the rooftops.

When Diego won the prize, he announced it from the rooftops.

rooftop — adjective

Word family

  • roof
    nounA2
  • roofed
    adjectiveB2
  • roofless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words refer to an outdoor surface area on top of a building, but with different emphases. 'Roof' is the broadest term, referring to the entire structure that covers a building, whether flat or sloped. 'Rooftop' specifically highlights the outer surface as a usable or occupiable space. A 'terrace' is a paved outdoor area that may be on the ground floor or on a rooftop, often furnished for dining or relaxing. A 'deck' is a flat platform, usually made of wood or composite material, built onto the roof of a house. For example: 'We had dinner on the hotel rooftop,' 'She sat on the terrace with a cup of tea,' and 'They built a wooden deck on top of the garage roof.'

roof ↗terrace ↗deck ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • from the rooftop

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in English around the early 1600s from two Old English words: 'roof' (from Old English 'hrōf,' meaning the top covering of a building) and 'top' (from Old English 'top,' meaning the highest point or summit). Originally it meant the highest part of a roof, and later came to refer to the outer roof surface as a place people can use.