ceiling and roof share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. ceiling means “the overhead upper surface of a covered space”. roof means “a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building”. roof is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈsilɪŋ/
1.n.the overhead upper surface of a covered space
“he hated painting the ceiling”
2.n.(meteorology) altitude of the lowest layer of clouds
3.n.an upper limit on what is allowed
“he put a ceiling on the number of women who worked for him”
/ˈɹuf/
1.n.a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
2.n.protective covering on top of a motor vehicle
3.n.the inner top surface of a covered area or hollow space
“the roof of the cave was very high”
| ceiling | roof | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈsilɪŋ/ | /ˈɹuf/ |
| Said | SEE-ling | roof |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 7 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 4 | 5 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for ceiling · Full entry for roof · More comparisons