roof

roof — noun

1. The outer covering placed above a house, car, or similar construction, which kee

1.nounB1
Definition

The outer covering placed above a house, car, or similar construction, which keeps the space beneath dry and sheltered from weather conditions.

Example

Roya climbed onto the roof to fix a loose tile after the storm.

collocation: on the roof

Rainwater from the roof flows into a large barrel near the garden wall.

Common collocations
  • flat roof
  • sloping roof
  • roof tile
  • roof repair
  • roof of the house
  • under one roof
Synonyms
  • top

    more general; refers to the highest part of anything, not a specific protective covering

  • covering

    broader term that includes roofs, lids, and any protective outer layer

  • canopy

    usually a cloth or branch covering above, not a permanent structure

Grammar Patterns

roof + of + noun phrase

on the roof

under a roof

Common Mistakes

Water dripped from the roof of the room.
Water dripped from the ceiling of the room.
The inside top surface of a room is the ceiling; the roof is the outer top covering of the whole building.

2. The highest number or level that is officially permitted for something such as a

2.nounC1
Definition

The highest number or level that is officially permitted for something such as a price, salary, tax rate, or amount of pollution.

Example

The government announced a roof on the price of basic medicines next year.

pattern: a roof on + noun

Kasia argued that a roof on carbon emissions would help slow climate change.

Common collocations
  • put a roof on
  • set a roof on
  • price roof
  • rent roof
  • wage roof
Synonyms
  • cap

    more common in everyday speech; 'roof' feels more official or legal

  • ceiling

    very similar in meaning; 'ceiling' is more widely used for financial limits (price ceiling)

  • limit

    broader term; can apply to speed, time, or quantity, not just upper bounds

Antonyms
  • floor

    the lowest allowed level rather than the highest

Grammar Patterns

put/set a roof on + noun phrase

roof of + number/amount

Usage Note

Common in formal, legal, or business writing about regulations. Typically appears in the structure 'a roof on [something]' — you set or place a roof on an amount, not on a physical object.

Common Mistakes

The bank set a roof of interest rates.
The bank set a roof on interest rates.
The preposition is 'on', not 'of'.

3. The bony curved surface forming the upper boundary inside the mouth, which separ

3.nounB2
Definition

The bony curved surface forming the upper boundary inside the mouth, which separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity above it.

Example

The hot soup burned the roof of Min's mouth and made her wince.

fixed phrase: the roof of + possessive + mouth

When you say the letter "k," your tongue touches the roof of your mouth.

Common collocations
  • roof of the mouth
  • roof of your mouth
  • burn the roof of your mouth
Synonyms
  • palate

    formal or medical term for the same part of the mouth

  • hard palate

    more precise; refers specifically to the bony front section of the mouth roof

Grammar Patterns

the roof of the/your mouth

Usage Note

Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'the roof of the/your mouth' — you rarely hear the word 'roof' alone to mean palate. The hard front part is distinguished from the soft palate further back in the mouth.

Idioms

go through the roof

idiom

To increase very quickly and by a large amount.

The price of gasoline went through the roof last month.

Did you see how temperatures went through the roof in July?

have a roof over your head

idiom

To have a place to live.

After losing his job, Tom still had a roof over his head.

The charity helps families have a roof over their heads.

like a cat on a hot tin roof

idiom

Very nervous or restless.

Maya was like a cat on a hot tin roof before her interview.

Why are you pacing like a cat on a hot tin roof?

raise the roof

idiom

To make a lot of noise by shouting or cheering loudly.

The fans raised the roof when their team scored.

At the concert, the band raised the roof with their performance.

under your roof

idiom

In your home.

I will not allow smoking under my roof.

Sara's parents said she must follow their rules under their roof.

roof — verb

Word family

  • roofed
    adjectiveB2
  • roofer
    nounC1
  • roofing
    nounB2
  • roofless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A roof is the permanent outer covering on top of a building or vehicle that protects from weather. A ceiling is the inner surface of a room — a building has a roof on the outside and a ceiling on the inside of each room. A canopy is a hanging or overhead covering, often made of cloth or branches, that provides shade but is not a fixed structure like a roof. The top is the highest point of anything, not necessarily a protective layer: the top of a mountain is not a roof. A covering is any layer placed over something, from a lid to a blanket, and is much more general than a roof. For example: "The roof of the house was damaged in the storm, so water leaked through the ceiling into the living room."

roof ↗ceiling ↗canopy ↗topcovering ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

The word 'roof' comes from Old English 'hrōf', which meant the top covering of a house or building. It has relatives in other Germanic languages: Old Norse 'hróf' (a boat's roof) and Dutch 'roef' (a ship's cabin). The sense of an 'upper limit' developed in the mid-1900s in business and legal language. The anatomical meaning of 'roof of the mouth' goes back to Old English times, using the same metaphor of a covering structure.