ceiling
nounUK /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ · US /ˈsilɪŋ/
Etymology From Middle English celing (“paneling; (bed) cover or hanging”), from celen (“to cover or panel walls”) (from Old French celer (“to conceal”)) + -ing (gerund-forming suffix). By surface analysis, ceil + -ing.
8 senses
- 1The overhead closure of a room.
- 2The upper limit of an object or action.
- 3The highest altitude at which an aircraft can safely…
- 4The measurement of visible distance from ground or sea…
- 5The smallest integer greater than or equal to a given number.
- 6The inner planking of a vessel.
- 7The maximum permitted level in a financial transaction.
- 8The overhead interior surface that covers the upper…
The overhead closure of a room.
- The dining room had an ornate ceiling.
The upper limit of an object or action.
- […] and only at Barnet did Tappin give Empire of India a burst to bring us up to the 60 m.p.h. speed ceiling of the London area.1956 December 23, W. J. Alcock, “On the Footplate of the "Elizabethan"”, in Railway Magazine, page 821:
- Market forces naturally move the economy to the equilibrium, and the price ceiling has no effect on the price or the quantity sold.2008, N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Economics, volume 1, page 114:
Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The highest altitude at which an aircraft can safely maintain flight.
Climatology, Meteorology, Natural sciences The measurement of visible distance from ground or sea level to an overcast cloud cover; under a clear sky, the ceiling measurement is identified as "unlimited."
- Even though it was cloudy, there was still enough ceiling for the Blue Angels to perform a great show.
Mathematics, Sciences The smallest integer greater than or equal to a given number.
- The ceiling of 4.5 is 5; the ceiling of −4.5 is −4.
Architecture The overhead interior surface that covers the upper limits of a room.
- Synonyms
- ceil
- Antonyms
- floor
- Derived terms
41 terms
absolute ceiling, acoustic ceiling, bamboo ceiling, brass ceiling, cathedral ceiling, ceil, ceiling bird, ceilinged, ceiling effect, ceiling fan, ceiling function, ceilingless, ceilinglike, ceiling paper, ceilingward, ceilingwards, celluloid ceiling, cloud ceiling, cotton ceiling, debt ceiling, drop ceiling, dropped ceiling, flight ceiling, floor-to-ceiling, glass ceiling, gray ceiling, hit the ceiling, lavender ceiling, paper ceiling, pink ceiling, popcorn ceiling, price ceiling, pull someone off the ceiling, rainbow ceiling, scrape someone off the ceiling, silver ceiling, skill ceiling, stipple ceiling, subceiling, through the ceiling, tray ceiling