Definitions for Ceiling
ˈsi lɪŋceil·ing

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.0 / 2 votes

1. ceilingnoun

   the overhead upper surface of a covered space

   "he hated painting the ceiling"

2. ceilingnoun

   (meteorology) altitude of the lowest layer of clouds

3. ceiling, roof, capnoun

   an upper limit on what is allowed

   "he put a ceiling on the number of women who worked for him"; "there was a roof on salaries"; "they established a cap for prices"

4. ceilingnoun

   maximum altitude at which a plane can fly (under specified conditions)

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ceilingnoun

   The surface that bounds the upper limit of a room.

   the dining room had an ornate ceiling

2. ceilingnoun

   The upper limit of an object or action.

   price ceilings

3. ceilingnoun

   The highest altitude at which an aircraft may fly.

4. ceilingnoun

   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

5. Etymology: From ceiling, from ceil + -ing.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ceilingnoun

   The inner roof.

   Etymology: from ceil.

   Varnish makes ceilings not only shine, but last. Francis Bacon.

   And now the thicken’d sky
   Like a dark ceiling stood; down rush’d the rain
   Impetuous. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. xi. l. 743.

   So when the sun by day, or moon by night,
   Strike on the polish’d brass their trembling light,
   The glitt’ring species here and there divide,
   And cast their dubious beams from side to side:
   Now on the walls, now on the pavement play,
   And to the ceiling flash the glaring day. John Dryden, Æneid.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ceiling

   A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limits of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the roof structure or the floor of a story above. Ceilings can be decorated to taste, and there are many fine examples of frescoes and artwork on ceilings especially in religious buildings. A ceiling can also be the upper limit of a tunnel. The most common type of ceiling is the dropped ceiling, which is suspended from structural elements above. Panels of drywall are fastened either directly to the ceiling joists or to a few layers of moisture-proof plywood which are then attached to the joists. Pipework or ducts can be run in the gap above the ceiling, and insulation and fireproofing material can be placed here. Alternatively, ceilings may be spray painted instead, leaving the pipework and ducts exposed but painted, and using spray foam. A subset of the dropped ceiling is the suspended ceiling, wherein a network of aluminum struts, as opposed to drywall, are attached to the joists, forming a series of rectangular spaces. Individual pieces of cardboard are then placed inside the bottom of those spaces so that the outer side of the cardboard, interspersed with aluminum rails, is seen as the ceiling from below. This makes it relatively easy to repair the pipes and insulation behind the ceiling, since all that is necessary is to lift off the cardboard, rather than digging through the drywall and then replacing it. Other types of ceiling include the cathedral ceiling, the concave or barrel-shaped ceiling, the stretched ceiling and the coffered ceiling. Coving often links the ceiling to the surrounding walls. Ceilings can play a part in reducing fire hazard, and a system is available for rating the fire resistance of dropped ceilings.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ceiling

   of Ceil

2. Ceilingverb

   the inside lining of a room overhead; the under side of the floor above; the upper surface opposite to the floor

3. Ceilingverb

   the lining or finishing of any wall or other surface, with plaster, thin boards, etc.; also, the work when done

4. Ceilingverb

   the inner planking of a vessel

5. Etymology: [See Cell, v. t.]

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ceiling

   A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above. Ceilings are classified according to their appearance or construction. A cathedral ceiling is any tall ceiling area similar to those in a church. A dropped ceiling is one in which the finished surface is constructed anywhere from a few inches to several feet below the structure above it. This may be done for aesthetic purposes, such as achieving a desirable ceiling height; or practical purposes such as providing a space for HVAC or piping. An inverse of this would be a raised floor. A concave or barrel shaped ceiling is curved or rounded, usually for visual or acoustical value, while a coffered ceiling is divided into a grid of recessed square or octagonal panels, also called a "lacunar ceiling". A cove ceiling uses a curved plaster transition between wall and ceiling; it is named for cove molding, a molding with a concave curve. Ceilings have frequently been decorated with fresco painting, mosaic tiles and other surface treatments. While hard to execute a decorated ceiling has the advantage that it is largely protected from damage by fingers and dust. In the past, however, this was more than compensated for by the damage from smoke from candles or a fireplace. Many historic buildings have celebrated ceilings. Perhaps the most famous is the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo.

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ceiling

   The lining or planks on the inside of a ship's frame: these are placed on the flat of the floor, and carried up to the hold-beams. The term is a synonym of foot-waling (which see).

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ceiling

   The ceiling symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the ceiling symbol and its characteristic.

Matched Categories

1. • Altitude
   • Control
   • Meteorology
   • Upper Surface

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Ceiling' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4064

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Ceiling' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3664

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Ceiling' in Nouns Frequency: #1479

How to pronounce Ceiling?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Ceiling in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Ceiling in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Ceiling in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of Ceiling in a Sentence

1. Greg Valliere:

   The markets are too sanguine, the market has felt for months that this is like the little boy who cries wolf. But this is not a typical debt ceiling debate.

2. Kevin Minto:

   By the time they see it in a ceiling, there's been a fair amount of water.

3. David Duchovny:

   It's not just about 'Mulder says that line, check! Scully says that line, check! The pencils on the ceiling, check!'.

4. Tom Roseen:

   Despite plus-side equity returns, both fund investors and ETF investors were net redeemers of equity assets, redeeming a net $8.4 billion for the week, shrugging off progress in the U.S.-China trade talks, a nice start to the Q2 earnings season, and general agreement on the U.S. budget and ceiling, investors showed constraint after learning that Iran had seized a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, increasing geopolitical concerns.

5. Gregory Daco:

   2011 was the first time in a long time that we came close to a debt ceiling breach, and that was a time when there was a lot of political fragmentation and there was a strong desire to essentially attach spending cuts to any debt ceiling increase.

Popularity rank by frequency of use