floor

FLOR/flɔɹ/FLAW/flɔː/

23 meanings of floor

1
inside walking surfacenouncountable
The flat part of a room, building, or bridge that you walk or stand on.
Like the bottom of a box, but big enough for you to stand on.
The kitchen floor was wet, so she wiped it dry.
Toys were scattered all over the bedroom floor.
UsageThings are on the floor; a hole is in the floor.
Note
2
nouncountable
One level of a building, with all its rooms at the same height.
Like one shelf in a tall bookcase, with more shelves above and below.
Their apartment is on the third floor.
We took the stairs all the way to the top floor.
UsageSay on the third floor (not ~~incorrect: in the third floor~~).
Similarstory, storey, level
Note
3
nouncountable
The ground or bottom of a place like a forest, a cave, the sea, or a mine.
Like the bottom of a swimming pool, but for a cave or the sea.
The cave floor was covered in cold, wet sand.
Strange fish live near the ocean floor.
UsageUsually with the place first: forest floor, ocean floor.
4
noundialectalUK
The ground or the surface under your feet, indoors or outdoors.
He dropped his keys on the floor outside the shop.
The kids were sitting on the floor in the park.
UsageOutdoors, most people say the ground; the floor sounds relaxed and local.
Similarground
Note
5
noun
The main part of a restaurant, shop, factory, casino, or other place, where the work or business happens.
The manager asked two more servers to work the floor tonight.
She manages the floor during the dinner rush.
UsageOften in work the floor or on the floor, in a shop or restaurant.
Note
6
debating chambernouncountable
The part of a parliament where the members sit, not the area for visitors.
Like the part of a court where the players play, not where the crowd sits.
The members took their seats on the floor before the vote.
Visitors sat in the gallery while the lawmakers argued on the floor.
UsageOften on the floor of a parliament; cross the floor means join or vote with the other side.
7
dancing spacenouncountable
The open space at a club or party where people dance.
Everyone rushed to the floor when the music started.
The floor was packed with dancers by ten o'clock.
UsageAt a party, the floor means the dance floor: get on the floor.
Note
8
lower limitnouncountable
The lowest price or rate that is allowed, so it cannot go below it.
Like the lowest setting on a dial that will not turn down any further.
The government set a floor on milk prices to help farmers.
Wages cannot drop below the legal floor.
UsageOften price floor; a government can set a floor on prices.
Similarminimum
Oppositeceiling, cap
Note

Less common meanings

9
right to speaknoun
The right to speak during a meeting or debate.
Like getting your turn to talk so no one cuts you off.
The chairman gave her the floor to explain her idea.
The chair gave her the floor, and the room went quiet.
UsageYou have the floor when it is your turn to speak; the chair gives you the floor.
Note
10
audiencenoun
The people listening at a meeting or debate, not the people speaking at the front.
After the talk, the speakers answered questions from the floor.
The speaker turned to the floor and asked who wanted to talk next.
UsageUsually in questions from the floor, meaning questions from the audience.
Similaraudience
11
pedal downverbslangtransitive
To press a pedal all the way down, usually to speed up fast.
Like pushing a button all the way in until it can't go any further.
He floored the gas pedal to pass the truck.
Don't floor the accelerator on a wet road.
UsagePeople usually say floor it: he floored it to get past.
Note
12
amazeverbcolloquialtransitive
To surprise someone so much that they don't know what to say.
Like being knocked off your feet by something amazing.
The news of her win floored him completely.
A surprise like that would floor anyone.
UsagePeople often say I was floored by something, meaning very surprised.
Similarstun, astonish, amaze, astound, stagger
13
knock downverbtransitive
To knock someone down to the ground with a hit.
Like a strong gust of wind that knocks you flat.
One punch floored the larger man.
A boxer can floor an opponent with a single blow.
Similarfell, drop, deck
Note
14
gymnastics eventnoununcountable
A gymnastics event performed on a padded, carpeted surface.
She scored highest on floor at the meet.
His routine on floor included three big jumps.
UsageSay on floor, usually with no the: she won on floor.
Note
15
nouncountable
The padded, carpeted surface that gymnasts tumble and jump on.
Like a giant bouncy mat made for flips and jumps.
The coach rolled out the practice floor for the team.
A good floor bounces slightly to help with landings.
16
install (builders)verbtransitive
To put a floor into a room or building.
They floored the attic with wide pine boards.
We plan to floor the kitchen with tile next month.
UsageName the material after with or in: floor a room with tile.
Note
17
round downnouncountable
The biggest whole number, counting negative ones, that is not larger than a given number.
Like always rounding money down to the next lower whole dollar.
The floor of 4.8 is 4.
When you take the floor of 7.2, you get 7.
Oppositeceiling
Note
18
verbcolloquialtransitive
To beat someone in an argument so they have nothing left to say.
Like knocking someone flat using only your words.
Her sharp reply floored him completely.
One clever question can floor even the best debater.
Similarsilence, stump, nonplus
19
finish offverbcolloquialtransitive
To finish something off completely.
I've floored my little-go work
1859, [Thomas Hughes], Tom Brown at Oxford
floor a college examination
Similarfinish, complete
Note
20
verbtransitive
To set the lowest level that something is allowed to reach.
Like setting a price tag that a sale can never go under.
The bank will floor the loan's interest rate at 3 percent.
The agreement floors interest rates so they never fall too low.
UsageName the level with at: floored at 3 percent.
Oppositecap
Note
21
hang lowverbdatedtransitive
To hang a painting low on a wall, where it is hard to see.
Note
22
noun
A flat layer of ore, or the rock lying under a layered or flat mineral deposit.
23
noun
The flattest part of a ship's bottom, on each side of the central beam.

Practice

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Origin

This word comes from Old English "flōr," meaning floor or ground. It goes back through older Germanic words to an Indo-European root meaning "flat."

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Floor comes from Old English flōr. en.wiktionary.org
Old English flōr meant floor or ground. readingroo.ms
The Germanic ancestor meant ground or floor; the ultimate Indo-European root meant flat. en.wiktionary.org