Get in on the ground floor is an idiom. We will examine the meaning of the common idiom get in on the ground floor, where it came from, and some examples of its idiomatic usage in sentences.
Get in on the ground floor means to be involved in something from the very beginning, to be present since the inception of an endeavor, to work on something beginning in the early stages, or to invest in a new business. The expression get in on the ground floor is especially used in business to mean to be involved from the start of a business or to invest in a fledgling business. The phrase get in on the ground floor is an allusion to the first floor of a building; the term was coined in the United States in the 1800s.
Examples
Louie Karem was “able to get in on the ground floor,” as he put it, and has seen the neighborhood grow since he opened Karem’s Grill and Pub in January 2007. (Courier Journal)
“It’s a great time for prospective buyers to join our interest lists on the website and get in on the ground floor.” (Builder Magazine)
“The tide is going to electric, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get in on the ground floor.” (Business Journals)
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