ceiling

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the highest amount or level that is allowed or possible.

n. an upper limit, especially one that is officially set for prices, wages, or spending.

“The government has put a ceiling on how much rent landlords can charge.”

“Economists argue that a rigid price ceiling may lead to a shortage of essential goods by discouraging manufacturers from increasing production.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical

n. the highest altitude an aircraft can reach, or the height of the lowest clouds.

n. the maximum altitude at which an aircraft can fly, or the height of the base of the lowest layer of clouds.

Español:techo

“The pilot had to fly lower because the cloud ceiling was dropping fast.”

“Due to the heavy storm, the cloud ceiling was less than five hundred feet, making a visual approach to the runway impossible for the incoming flight.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical

n. the smallest whole number that is greater than or equal to a specific number.

n. the smallest integer greater than or equal to a given real number.

“The ceiling of 4.2 is 5.”

“In this algorithm, we apply the ceiling function to the result to ensure we have enough containers for all the items.”