# ceiling

/ˈsiɫɪŋ/ (US) · /sˈiːlɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ceiling
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. top of a room

noun · CEFR B1

the inside surface at the top of a room.

For teachers: the overhead interior surface that bounds the upper limit of a room.

- The living room has a very high ceiling with a beautiful glass lamp.
- The restoration team spent months carefully cleaning the ornate plasterwork on the ballroom ceiling to reveal the original eighteenth-century gold leaf.

### 2. an upper limit

noun · CEFR B2

the highest amount or level that is allowed or possible.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. aviation altitude

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- 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.

### 4. mathematics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The living room has a very high ceiling.
- The government decided to place a ceiling on rent increases to protect tenants from rising costs.
- While the physical structure featured an ornate plaster ceiling, the company's growth was hindered by a regulatory ceiling that prevented further expansion into the regional market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.