staircase

American  

[stair-keys] / ˈstɛərˌkeɪs /

noun

1. a flight of stairs with its framework, banisters, etc., or a series of such flights.

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staircase British  

/ ˈstɛəˌkeɪs /

noun

1. a flight of stairs, its supporting framework, and, usually, a handrail or banisters

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Etymology

Origin of staircase

First recorded in 1615–25; stair + case ²

Compare meaning

How does staircase compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• stairwell vs. staircase

Example Sentences

I dash down one staircase, then another, taking the final five steps in a single airborne leap.

From Literature

Mamá lets out a wail that I can hear as I am huffing and puffing up the tall staircase to our apartment after returning home from school.

From Literature

One of the newest Four Seasons suites includes a private outdoor gym, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows and a gilded spiral staircase snaking between its four floors.

From The Wall Street Journal

So I grabbed the handle and followed after her down the staircase, squeezing past a few boarders heading up from the breakfast table and trailing a mouthwatering smell of bacon.

From Literature

A group of protesters are seen in video standing near a staircase away from the building’s entrance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• access
• avenue
• corridor
• door
• doorway
• entry
• entryway
• gate
• hall
• hallway
• lobby
• opening
• passageway
• porch
• port