Definitions for ceiling
ˈsi lɪŋceil·ing

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

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)

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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. Bill Clinton:

   There has been a lot of talk about breaking the glass ceiling, i am tired of the stranglehold that women have had on the job of presidential spouse.

2. Dan Pfeiffer:

   Bernie Sanders needs to grow Bernie Sanders support significantly to win the nomination and that begins with the African American community. If Bernie Sanders doesn't do much better with those voters, Bernie Sanders chances of being the nominee are awfully close to zero, that alone will not be enough. To date, Bernie Sanders campaign has at times given off a' my way or the highway vibe' that has put a ceiling on Bernie Sanders support among large swaths of Democratic Party.

3. Jonathan Miller:

   This is a market that has been pressed to the ceiling. On top of that, the expectation is that new leasing will peak in August, which is expected to keep upper pressure on prices in the near term, i'm not sure how long this lasts after that, because at some point, for affordability, the math just doesn't work.

4. Rahman Mohsen:

   We only see them during elections, after elections we never see them again. Not a single official has visited us. The children have developed scabies and lice, we survive on charity ... thank God, at least there is a ceiling.

5. Capital Economics:

   Next week the focus will shift to fiscal policy, a debt ceiling crisis in late-October could even delay the Fed’s taper plans.

Popularity rank by frequency of use