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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From the area above closet shelves, to the garage ceiling, to walls next to beds, there’s a lot of vertical space that can be used. Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024 The small projector lives on any nightstand or table, casting a slowly drifting sky of stars across the ceiling and walls. Malia Griggs, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024 The National Women's Soccer League shattered its own ceiling throughout the 2024 season, surpassing 2 million total attendees and averaging over 11,000 fans per game. Lindsey Darvin, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 Red and green balloons cover the ceiling, nutcrackers line the floor and there are two photo ops to snap your holiday pics. Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ceiling 

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 1 Dec. 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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