ground floor

noun

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.

ground floor

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ground floor¹

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

There were four rooms on the ground floor and a main stairway to the second floor.

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The buyer of the first tranche was like the owner of the ground floor in a flood: He got hit with the first wave of mortgage prepayments.

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The Market Gallery has since opened but has been forced to move upstairs into the former Wilko's storage area as the ground floor is unusable.

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An area on the ground floor of the manor was being set up as a welcome center, gift shop, café and mini-theater.

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The ground floors of some buildings are propped up by scaffolding and appear on the verge of collapse and in some areas rubble is piled high as diggers continue the reconstruction work.

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