“We had drinks on the roof.”
Usage Entry 1266 / 1350 60-second read
Roof vs. Rooftop
The top covering of a building versus the usable surface of the roof.
The comparisoni
“We had drinks on the rooftop — when the roof is used as a space, "rooftop" is the word.”
The ruleii
¶
ROOF = cover. ROOFTOP = usable top.
ROOF is the top covering of a building — the structural element. ROOFTOP is the flat, accessible upper surface used as a space — for gardens, bars, HVAC. All rooftops are roofs; not all roofs are rooftops. The sloped roof of a cottage isn't a rooftop.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
Roof = covering. Rooftop = platform.