ceiling

views updated Jun 27 2018

ceil·ing / ˈsēling/ • n. 1. the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment. ∎ fig. an upper limit, typically one set on prices, wages, or expenditure.See also glass ceiling. ∎  the maximum altitude that a particular aircraft can reach. ∎  the altitude of the base of a cloud layer.2. the inside planking of a ship's bottom and sides.

ceiling

views updated May 21 2018

ceiling †lining of the inside of roof or walls XIV; †screen of tapestry, curtain XV; (naut.) inside planking of a ship's bottom XVII; plaster covering the top of a room XVI. Late ME. celynge, siling, early modEng. syll-, seel-, ciel-, seyl-, appearing contemp. with celure, selure, sil(l)our, later seller canopy, hangings, tapestry (XIV–XVI); these corresp. in use to medL. cēlum (XII) cēlātūra (XIII), cēlūra (XIV), but the meaning is freq. uncert.; possible OF. connections are rare, and it remains doubtful whether L., cælum heaven is the ult. base and how far L. cælāre engrave, cælātūra engraving, carving are concerned.

ceiling

views updated Jun 11 2018

ceiling If x is a real number, then ceiling(x), also written as ⌈x⌉, is the smallest integer greater than or equal to x.