| an upper limit to professional advancement, esp. as imposed upon women, that is not readily perceived or openly acknowledged. |
| glass ceiling n. An unacknowledged discriminatory barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to positions of power or responsibility, as within a corporation. |
An unacknowledged — and ultimately illegal — barrier to advancement, especially for women and people of color: “In many professions a woman cannot break through the glass ceiling to the upper level of management.” The term dates from the 1980s.
glass ceiling
An unacknowledged discriminatory barrier to advancement, especially for women and minorities. For example, Harriet knew she'd never be promoted
she would never get through the glass ceiling. [1980s]