noun General Slang

Lattie

/ˈlæti/ · noun · slang

Polari for a house, flat or room — your lattie was your private safe space.

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Definitions

1

In Polari, a house, flat, lodging or room. Likely from Italian 'letto' (bed) or 'latta', reflecting the cant's Romance borrowings.

“Come back to my lattie for a bevvy.”
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2

Compounds include 'lattie on water' (a boat) and 'lattie-trade' for partners brought home.

“He lived on a lattie on water down by the docks.”
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3

A private refuge where speakers could be themselves away from a hostile, criminalising world.

“The lattie was the one place we could drop the act.”
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Lattie In A Sentence

Her lattie was tiny but fantabulosa, all candles and gin.
We trolled back to his lattie before the charpering omis clocked us.
Keep your voice down — the lattie next door has ears.

Origin & Usage

Polari of mid-20th-century Britain; 'lattie' (house, room) is generally linked to Italian 'letto'/'latta' via Parlyaree, as recorded by Paul Baker.

Variants lattylettie
Tags #polari#lgbtq#british#heritage#vintage#lexicon

People Also Ask

What does lattie mean?

It is Polari for a house, flat or room.

Where does lattie come from?

It is usually traced to Italian 'letto' (bed) or 'latta', borrowed through Parlyaree.

Why did a lattie matter so much?

When being gay was illegal, a private lattie was one of the few safe places to be openly yourself.

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