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 However, plastic tarps that had been taped to the ceiling of the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field remained rolled up. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024 Soaring ceilings and glossy wood floors trail the home, leading to grand entertaining areas such as the formal living and dining rooms. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2024 Use them indoors or outside to drape from your ceiling or your front porch, cover bushes and shrubs, or use them as a dreadful doily on your fireplace mantle. Kaitlin Gates, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2024 The home also offered large skylights, high ceilings, an open floor plan, and an upstairs loft that the actor used as an office. Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ceiling 

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 31 Oct. 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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