the.com/penthouse
the floor where money buys you altitude, silence, and a better view of everyone below
means the apartment or dwelling on the top floor of a building, typically the most luxurious and expensive unit with the best views.
from From Middle English 'pentis,' borrowed from Old French 'apentis' (a lean-to or attached shed), which traces back to Latin 'appendere,' to hang or attach onto. So the word originally meant a humble sloping outbuilding clinging to a larger structure's side — a far cry from luxury. The spelling drifted toward 'penthouse' by folk association with 'house,' and only in the early 20th century did the term climb skyward to mean the grand suite perched on a building's roof.
- word origin
- from Latin appendere, meaning to hang or attach
- used to be junk
- once just rooftop sheds for water tanks and machinery
- status flip
- became luxury after 1920s elevators conquered the climb
- private elevators
- top units often have keyed direct-to-door access
penthouse magazine — adult magazine founded by bob guccione in 1969, competitor to playboy
penthouse hotel new york — luxury rooftop suite at the plaza hotel, costs $50,000+ per night
penthouse trump world tower — donald trump's 3-story penthouse in manhattan, appraised at $54 million