ceiling

[see-ling]

noun

1. the overhead interior surface of a room.

2. 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.

3. Aeronautics.

   1. 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.

   2. Also called absolute ceiling. the maximum altitude at which a particular aircraft can operate under specified conditions.

4. Meteorology.,  the height above ground level of the lowest layer of clouds that cover more than half of the sky.

5. a lining applied for structural reasons to a framework, especially in the interior surfaces of a ship or boat.

6. 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.

7. the act or work of a person who makes or finishes a ceiling.

8. vaulting, as in a medieval church.

ceiling

/ ˈsiːlɪŋ /

noun

1. the inner upper surface of a room

2. 1. an upper limit, such as one set by regulation on prices or wages

   2. ( as modifier )

      ceiling prices

3. the upper altitude to which an aircraft can climb measured under specified conditions See also service ceiling absolute ceiling

4. 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

5. a wooden or metal surface fixed to the interior frames of a vessel for rigidity

Other Word Forms

• ceilinged adjective
• subceiling noun
• unceilinged adjective
• underceiling noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ceiling¹

1350–1400, ceiling for def. 7; Middle English; ceil, -ing ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ceiling¹

C14: of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hit the ceiling, to become enraged.

   When he saw the amount of the bill, he hit the ceiling.

see glass ceiling; hit the ceiling.

Example Sentences

Celebrities posed in a room filled with giant planet-like sculptures, some of which hung from the ceiling, lighting up the catwalk.

From BBC

"The more Machiavellian view of the Premier League is that the clubs at the top didn't want another City or Chelsea to arise. This is a way of creating a glass ceiling."

From BBC

Linda’s situation gets even more dire when water starts to pour through the ceiling of her home, forcing her and her daughter to move into a rundown motel.

From Los Angeles Times

"It takes time to see those women break that brass ceiling, and we haven't had a chance to see that," she said.

From BBC

Standing in the central rotunda in 2014, beneath the cathedral-esque vaulted ceilings, it was hard to take in: I gazed down cellblock after cellblock, stretching out like spokes on a wheel.

From Salon

Related Words

• beam 
• plaster 
• roof