ceiling
Americannoun
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the overhead interior surface of a room.
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the top limit imposed by law on the amount of money that can be charged or spent or the quantity of goods that can be produced or sold.
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Aeronautics.
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the maximum altitude from which the earth can be seen on a particular day, usually equal to the distance between the earth and the base of the lowest cloud bank.
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Also called absolute ceiling. the maximum altitude at which a particular aircraft can operate under specified conditions.
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Meteorology. the height above ground level of the lowest layer of clouds that cover more than half of the sky.
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a lining applied for structural reasons to a framework, especially in the interior surfaces of a ship or boat.
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Also called ceiling piece. Theater. the ceiling or top of an interior set, made of cloth, a flat, or two or more flats hinged together.
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the act or work of a person who makes or finishes a ceiling.
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vaulting, as in a medieval church.
idioms
noun
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the inner upper surface of a room
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an upper limit, such as one set by regulation on prices or wages
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( as modifier )
ceiling prices
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the upper altitude to which an aircraft can climb measured under specified conditions See also service ceiling absolute ceiling
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meteorol the highest level in the atmosphere from which the earth's surface is visible at a particular time, usually the base of a cloud layer
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a wooden or metal surface fixed to the interior frames of a vessel for rigidity
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ceiling
1350–1400, ceiling for def. 7; Middle English; see ceil, -ing 1
Explanation
A ceiling is the upper surface of a room. If you’re lying on the floor, you’re staring up at the ceiling. If you’re lying on the ceiling, you’ll be lying on the floor again soon. You may have heard the sky’s the limit — but in truth, the limit is the ceiling, both physically and metaphorically. The top of a room, but still under the roof, a ceiling is the point at which you can go no farther. You’ll find both helium balloons and hot tempers hitting it. In the workplace, if you aren't getting that promotion and can't understand why, you might have hit a "glass ceiling."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
With their dated decor, hotel-like hallways, overhead ceiling tiles and abandoned office spaces, the Backrooms resemble the overlooked non-places of modern life – spaces many people recognize but rarely notice.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
A salary range is a ‘floor to build on, not a cage or a ceiling.’
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Neff’s genius includes extending the living room’s pitched ceiling outward over a covered loggia, linking the inside-outside rooms in stellar Southern California fashion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Busakorn also noted that the stage was decorated using highly flammable materials such as plastic flowers, while the ceiling was plastered with combustible foam.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Down front, Glenn swiped at the ceiling with the broom, and the mud daubers’ nest broke loose from the rafter and fell into his hands.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
The building, filled to its ceilings, grew increasingly dilapidated; Langley’s paranoia about suspected intruders led him to build mazes of detritus to throw them off.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
The main living space in the dwelling features hardwood vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and a cozy wood-burning fireplace, while the spacious kitchen has plenty of room for a dining area.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The 55,000-square-foot hall, lit by gaping skylights in its 75-foot-high ceilings, reopened last November as Ballers, a sports club that has three glass-and-mesh-enclosed padel courts, along with golf simulators and courts for squash and pickleball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Investing in US assets in China usually requires going through officially approved channels and is typically subject to ceilings and strict foreign exchange controls.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Gregor carried Boots inside a large room with vaulted ceilings.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
