floor

1 of 2

noun

plural floors
often attributive
1
: the level base of a room
2
a
: the lower inside surface of a hollow structure (such as a cave or bodily part)
b
: a ground surface
the ocean floor
3
a
: a structure dividing a building into stories
also : story
b
: the occupants of such a floor
4
: the surface of a structure on which one travels
the floor of a bridge
5
a
: a main level space (as in a stock exchange or legislative chamber) distinguished from a platform or gallery
b
: the specially prepared or marked area on which indoor sports events take place
c
: the members of an assembly
took questions from the floor
d
: the right to address an assembly
the senator from Utah has the floor
6
: a lower limit : base

see also take the floor

floor

2 of 2

verb

floored; flooring; floors

transitive verb

1
: to cover with a floor or flooring
2
a
: to knock or bring down
3
: to press (the accelerator of a vehicle) to the floorboard
also : to accelerate rapidly
floored the van
floorer noun
Phrases
from the floor
: in field goals as opposed to free throws
made 16 of 18 shots from the floor

Examples of floor in a Sentence

Noun Keep your feet on the floor. the floor of a car She lives on the second floor of a five-story building. His office is located on the fourth floor. Verb He floored me with his first punch. The news just floored me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Everybody on the floor is dangerous offensively, which is rare. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2024 But Johnson has opposed bringing the measure to the House floor for a vote. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2024 These grasses take advantage of rare bursts of rain to propagate, then die, forming a carpet of fire fuel on the desert floor. Eric Zerkel, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 Officials also found a live 40-caliber round on the floor, a 40-caliber magazine, the back plate to the gun and a firing pin located underneath the TV. The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024 In the affidavit, police said a man later identified as Marquez took off his gloves and mask and tried to blend in with customers after dropping a pile of purses on the floor. Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 The building's three upper levels will house 12 two-bedroom apartments, four on each floor. The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024 But, since the start of the war, the I.P.S. has actually been allowed both by legislators and, later on, by the Supreme Court, to decrease even that, which means that people are now being made to sleep on the floor. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024 On the lower level, there’s a bar with its own entrance, while on the top floor, diners can sit in a spacious winter garden and play a round of darts or chess in the game room. Kate Maxwell Lindsey Tramuta Reggie Nadelson Gisela Williams Roxanne Fequiere Siska Lyssens, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
Founded in 1886, company founder S.C. Johnson started a parquet flooring company and developed floor wax for his customers. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 But Remy said he was floored when the lawyer put him on the stand without properly preparing him. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024 She was floored by the finding, which was first reported by Iowa’s News Now. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Rebecca Grossman floored the gas pedal and struck two boys at ‘freeway speeds,’ investigators say. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Starting Position: Lie on your stomach on an exercise mat or floor with your hands by your sides, positioned directly under your shoulders and hands facing forward. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2024 Several areas of the home also had exposed plywood flooring with visible stains from new and old animal urine and feces, according to the affidavit. Elizabeth Pritchett, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2024 The images, some of which are printed in this book, floored her. Dwight Garner, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2024 Woods said he's still floored by the Ohtani-Dodgers deal and couldn't imagine ever advising a client to take so little up-front compensation. David K. Li, NBC News, 15 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'floor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English flor, from Old English flōr; akin to Old High German fluor meadow, Latin planus level, and perhaps to Greek planasthai to wander

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of floor was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near floor

Cite this Entry

“Floor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floor. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

floor

1 of 2 noun
ˈflō(ə)r How to pronounce floor (audio)
ˈflȯ(ə)r
1
: the part of a room on which one stands
2
a
: the lower inside surface of a hollow structure
the floor of a car
b
: a ground surface
the ocean floor
3
: a story of a building
lives on the second floor

floor

2 of 2 verb
1
: to cover with a floor or flooring
2
a
: to knock to the floor

Medical Definition

: the lower inside surface of a hollow anatomical structure
the floor of the pelvis

Legal Definition

floor

noun
1
a
: a main level space (as in a stock exchange or legislative chamber) distinguished from a platform or gallery
b
: members of an assembly
took questions from the floor
c
: the right to address an assembly
the senator from Utah has the floor
2
: a lower limit
a five percent floor on deductions for medical expenses

More from Merriam-Webster on floor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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