1the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment.
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.
2the inside planking of a ship’s bottom and sides.
Origin:
Middle English (denoting the action of lining the interior of a room with plaster or paneling): from ceil + -ing1. sense 1 dates from the mid 16th century
