ceiling

noun

ceil·​ing ˈsē-liŋ How to pronounce ceiling (audio)
1
a
: the overhead inside lining of a room
The room has a high ceiling.
b
: material used to ceil a wall or roof of a room
2
: something thought of as an overhanging shelter or a lofty canopy
a ceiling of stars
3
a
: the height above the ground from which prominent objects on the ground can be seen and identified
b
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is obscured
4
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices, rents, and wages
ceilinged adjective

Examples of ceiling in a Sentence

The house has low ceilings. The airplane has a ceiling of 32,000 feet.
Recent Examples on the Web The car comes with a large video screen that folds down from the ceiling. Jack Ewing, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 About 40 minutes later, Vernon Nash entered the stall, ducking under the clothes hanging from the ceiling like a welcome curtain. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are packed into just over 1,900 square feet of living space boasting white, cream and beige interiors complemented by hardwood floors, high ceilings and plentiful windows allowing for an abundance of natural light. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 Last spring, Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) agreed to suspend the nation’s debt ceiling in exchange for limiting federal spending in 2024. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 They were surrounded by Chiefs staff, Patrick’s teammates and event photographers as confetti fell from the stadium ceiling. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Adding to the pressure to approve the remaining funding bills in a timely manner, Congress must pass all of the spending bills before the end of April in order to avoid 1% across-the-board spending cuts under an agreement made during the debt ceiling talks last year. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 Accountants can start their careers with fewer financial resources and time commitment but may find their earnings ceiling lower without the CPA designation. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 The lower level has tall ceilings, additional bedroom and bath, along with a theatre room, workout area, storage and rec room. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ceiling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English celing, from celen

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ceiling was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near ceiling

Cite this Entry

“Ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceiling. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ceiling

noun
ceil·​ing ˈsē-liŋ How to pronounce ceiling (audio)
1
: the overhead inside lining of a room
2
: something that hangs over or is above
3
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is hidden by clouds
4
: the greatest height at which an airplane can operate efficiently
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices

More from Merriam-Webster on ceiling

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