ceiling

The inside surface at the top of a room.

• The ceiling is white.
• A lamp hangs from the ceiling.
• These old rooms have very high ceilings.

Common phrases: high ceiling, ceiling fan, on the ceiling

The highest amount or level that is allowed or possible.

• The government introduced a price ceiling.
• There is a ceiling on annual spending.
• They raised the debt ceiling again.

How to use it: a ceiling on something (The council set a ceiling on rent increases.)

Similar words: upper limit, maximum, cap

Opposites: floor

Common phrases: price ceiling, debt ceiling, ceiling on something

The greatest height at which an aircraft can safely keep flying.

• The aircraft has a high service ceiling.
• Its ceiling is lower when it carries heavy cargo.
• The pilot kept well below the helicopter’s ceiling.

Similar words: maximum altitude

Common phrases: service ceiling, operational ceiling, aircraft ceiling

The nearest whole number that is equal to or greater than a given number.

• The ceiling of 2.3 is 3.
• For whole numbers, the ceiling equals the original value.
• Use the ceiling function to round this value up.

Opposites: floor

Common phrases: ceiling function, ceiling of something

The height of the lowest cloud layer that covers most or all of the sky.

• The airport reported a low ceiling.
• The cloud ceiling fell during the afternoon.
• Poor visibility and a low ceiling delayed our flight.

Similar words: cloud base

Common phrases: low ceiling, cloud ceiling, ceiling and visibility