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
floored; flooring; floors
1
: to cover with a floor or flooring
2
a
: to knock or bring down
b
3
: to press (the accelerator of a vehicle) to the floorboard
also
: to accelerate rapidly
floored the van
floorer
noun
Synonyms
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
Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The architect-owner maintained the lofty, open-plan interiors that span almost 2,000 square feet over two floors and include just one bedroom (and possibly two) and a total of three bathrooms, plus a powder room.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Raw chicken and beef were planted on the walk-in freezer floor.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
The Phoenix Republican’s reversal came after The Arizona Republic shared with him news footage of Wednesday's floor session, where Gress' actions were loudly condemned by Democrats as hypocritical and helped fuel a loud and angry protest shaming Republicans for not taking up the repeal vote.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024
That trophy has been around since 1961 and is on display on the ground floor of the clubhouse, and features not just the names and scores of all the Masters champions but of all the runners-up.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Sadly, but somewhat unsurprisingly, Linda and Andy returned the following morning to find the shelves lying broken on the floor and every single teapot smashed to smithereens.
—Jermaine Gallacher, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Photographed by Sean Thomas, the eight-member group found a moment away from global tour dates and releasing Billboard 200 No. 1 albums to take over the 36th floor of the Conrad Seoul Hotel to take part in their second campaign shoot with the brand.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
The workers take care in rolling several of the carts into grids marked with blue tape on the concrete floor.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2024
Allyson Portee, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Azul gray limestone and wood flooring with radiant heating spread across the home.
—Spencer Elliott, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Some 106 units across 13 locations in the Shawnee, Chickasaw and Old Louisville neighborhoods will receive renovations including new kitchens, flooring HVACs, bathrooms and windows with the HUD grant money.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
The Ramadhani Brothers floored the judges with their gravity-defying, balancing act, which involves one acrobat balancing the other's full body weight on his head while traversing different set pieces.
—USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
California Rebecca Grossman floored gas pedal, struck 2 boys at ‘freeway speeds,’ investigators say
Feb. 8, 2024
Deputy Dist.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024
When a home test came back positive, Amanda was floored.
—Maggie Shannon, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
And he was floored when the jury returned a not guilty verdict, making Greg a free man.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
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
Noun
Hope to lift yourself off the floor unassisted in old age?
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The architect-owner maintained the lofty, open-plan interiors that span almost 2,000 square feet over two floors and include just one bedroom (and possibly two) and a total of three bathrooms, plus a powder room.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Raw chicken and beef were planted on the walk-in freezer floor.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
The Phoenix Republican’s reversal came after The Arizona Republic shared with him news footage of Wednesday's floor session, where Gress' actions were loudly condemned by Democrats as hypocritical and helped fuel a loud and angry protest shaming Republicans for not taking up the repeal vote.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024
That trophy has been around since 1961 and is on display on the ground floor of the clubhouse, and features not just the names and scores of all the Masters champions but of all the runners-up.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Sadly, but somewhat unsurprisingly, Linda and Andy returned the following morning to find the shelves lying broken on the floor and every single teapot smashed to smithereens.
—Jermaine Gallacher, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Photographed by Sean Thomas, the eight-member group found a moment away from global tour dates and releasing Billboard 200 No. 1 albums to take over the 36th floor of the Conrad Seoul Hotel to take part in their second campaign shoot with the brand.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
The workers take care in rolling several of the carts into grids marked with blue tape on the concrete floor.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Entering the hotel, guests immediately noticed black and white patterns, from the chess flooring to the striped optical illusions of spiral vortexes, all of which called to mind the intro of the late 1950s/early 1960s television show The Twilight Zone.
—Allyson Portee, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Azul gray limestone and wood flooring with radiant heating spread across the home.
—Spencer Elliott, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Some 106 units across 13 locations in the Shawnee, Chickasaw and Old Louisville neighborhoods will receive renovations including new kitchens, flooring HVACs, bathrooms and windows with the HUD grant money.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
The Ramadhani Brothers floored the judges with their gravity-defying, balancing act, which involves one acrobat balancing the other's full body weight on his head while traversing different set pieces.
—USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
California Rebecca Grossman floored gas pedal, struck 2 boys at ‘freeway speeds,’ investigators say
Feb. 8, 2024
Deputy Dist.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024
When a home test came back positive, Amanda was floored.
—Maggie Shannon, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
And he was floored when the jury returned a not guilty verdict, making Greg a free man.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
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
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
Phrases Containing floor
Articles Related to floor
Dictionary Entries Near floor
Cite this Entry
“Floor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floor. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
floor
1 of 2 noun
ˈflō(ə)r 
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 verb1
: to cover with a floor or flooring
2
a
: to knock to the floor
Medical Definition
floor
noun
: the lower inside surface of a hollow anatomical structure
the floor of the pelvis
Legal Definition
floor
noun1
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
Nglish: Translation of floor for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of floor for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about floor
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