The spelling of the word "at apartment" is quite straightforward when its phonetic transcription is examined. The first part of the word, "at," is spelled as it sounds using the IPA transcription /æt/. The second part of the word is also spelled as it sounds phonetically, with the word "apartment" transcribed as /əˈpɑrtmənt/. Therefore, the correct spelling of the phrase "at apartment" is spelled exactly as it is pronounced using the respective phonetic symbols.
The term "apartment" originates from the Late Latin word "appartamentum", which means a separated or isolated place. This is derived from the Latin verb "appertare", meaning "to separate" or "to divide". The word eventually made its way into various Romance languages, including French ("appartement") and Italian ("appartamento").
The English term "apartment" entered the language in the early 17th century, initially used to refer to separate living spaces in larger houses. Over time, it came to signify a self-contained living unit within a larger building or complex. The word "at" is simply a preposition used in English to indicate location or position. When "at" is combined with "apartment", it specifies that someone or something is located within an apartment.