the flatlands
thuh flat-landznoun
PlacesNorCalDifficulty 3 of 3: Deep local
Definition
The lower, flatter neighborhoods of Oakland, as opposed to the hills. Geography that also reads as class and history.
In simple English: The flat parts of Oakland, not the hills.
Examples
He grew up in the flatlands, not up in the hills.
The sideshows stay in the flatlands.
Usage notes
Used in Oakland talk about the city itself. It is a real divide, not a cute opposite of “the hills.”
At a glance
- Track
- Places
- Region
- NorCal
- Part of speech
- noun