ground floor

noun

plural ground floors

1

: the floor of a building most nearly on a level with the ground : first floor sense 1

2

: a favorable position or privileged opportunity usually obtained by early participants

—used especially in the phrase in on the ground floor

investors who got in on the ground floor

Examples of ground floor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Accessibility Due to the nature of these historic buildings, there are no elevators, and no short-term suites that are fully ADA compliant, but Zero George does have a ground floor Garden Suite and first floor rooms that might suit those with limited mobility issues. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026

This weekend Gagosian is opening a new flagship at 980 Madison Avenue’s ground floor with shows by Marcel Duchamp and early works by Robert Rauschenberg. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 24 Apr. 2026

The loft-like ground floor is designed for gathering with an open kitchen, dining area, and living space. —Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2026

These spaces support daily life — children at play, neighbors in conversation, families at home — while ground floors accommodate shops and services and upper floors provide a wide range of housing, including units suitable for families. —Alicia Pederson, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ground floor

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore