ground floor

American  

noun

• ground floors
  plural

1. the floor of a building at or nearest to ground level.

2. Informal. an advantageous position or opportunity in a business matter, especially in a new enterprise.

   She took the job in the new company because she wanted to get in on the ground floor.

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ground floor British  

noun

1. the floor of a building level or almost level with the ground

2. informal

   1. to enter a business, organization, etc, at the lowest level

   2. to be in a project, undertaking, etc, from its inception

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ground floors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ground floor

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ground floor

The ground floor features an open great room with a wood-paneled ceiling and a wall of bifold glass doors, which open to a landscaped conversation area.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

"We've been left with nothing. We lost everything," says the accountant, who lived on the ground floor, in tears.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

During a heatwave, sleeping on the ground floor or north-facing side of the home may help.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

River Island and Levi's had shops on the ground floor of the building but both units closed.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

The lift reached the ground floor and stopped with a jerk.

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl