What does flatmate mean?
A flatmate is a person who shares a flat or apartment with someone else, each typically occupying their own bedroom while sharing the kitchen, bathroom, and living areas, along with expenses such as rent and utility bills. The term belongs primarily to British and Commonwealth English; American speakers almost always say 'roommate' instead, though that word can carry the additional implication of literally sharing a room, something 'flatmate' never suggests. Closely related is 'housemate', used when the shared dwelling is a house rather than a flat, though the two terms often blur in casual speech. The word is neutral in tone and appears constantly in everyday conversation, rental advertisements ('flatmate wanted'), and classified listings. It captures a common modern living arrangement, particularly among students and young professionals in expensive cities, where sharing accommodation is both an economic necessity and a social experience. Knowing the term, and its transatlantic counterpart, helps readers navigate both British urban vocabulary and the practical language of renting.
nounA person who shares a flat or apartment with another, typically each having their own bedroom while sharing common living spaces. The term is chiefly British; American English generally prefers 'roommate'.
- A person who shares a flat or apartment with another, each occupying separate bedrooms while sharing common areas and expenses such as rent and bills.
"My flatmate and I split the rent down the middle and take turns cooking dinner on Sundays."
"After years of living alone, she found that having a flatmate made the rent far more manageable."
"His flatmate left a note on the fridge reminding him to pay the electricity bill."
Regular plural; commonly used when referring to several co-tenants collectively.
"The three flatmates agreed to hire a cleaner once a fortnight."
Same person, different word: they're a 'flatmate' in London but a 'roommate' in New York — even though neither one actually shares your room.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flatmate
The word is a straightforward compound of 'flat', the British shortening of 'flat' in the sense of a set of rooms forming a residence (from 'flat' meaning 'on one floor'), and 'mate', meaning companion or associate, which entered English from Middle Low German via seafaring usage. Compound formations with 'mate' have long been productive in English, producing words such as 'shipmate', 'teammate', and 'roommate'; 'flatmate' arose within this pattern, becoming established in twentieth-century Britain as flat-sharing grew common among students and young workers.
Related word forms
How flatmate is actually used
Chiefly British and Commonwealth usage; American English overwhelmingly uses 'roommate'. In the UK, 'flatmate' specifically implies sharing a self-contained flat or apartment, distinguishing it from 'housemate' (sharing a house) and from 'roommate' (which suggests literally sharing a sleeping room). The word is neutral to informal in register and carries no particular connotation.
Easily confused with flatmate
'Roommate' is the standard American equivalent of 'flatmate', though in the UK 'roommate' can also imply literally sharing a bedroom, which 'flatmate' never does.