stair
Americannoun
-
stairs
plural
-
one of a flight or series of steps for going from one level to another, as in a building.
-
stairs, such steps collectively, especially as forming a flight or a series of flights.
I was so excited I ran all the way up the stairs.
-
a series or flight of steps; stairway.
a winding stair.
noun
-
one of a flight of stairs
-
a series of steps
a narrow stair
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of stair
before 1000; Middle English stey ( e ) r, Old English stǣger; cognate with Dutch, Low German steiger landing; akin to sty 1
Vocabulary lists containing stair
"Mother to Son"
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Spelling Practice, Unit 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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An early riser who starts many mornings with knuckle push-ups and stair climbing, Foran, 65, is often at the office by 6 a.m.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
In Milan, a group of Italian and US firefighters participated in a ceremonial stair climb to honour the emergency responders who died in the line of duty.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
In the middle of a crowded stair landing, 3-year-old Shai Yolles sat cross-legged, organizing his spent glow sticks while adults maneuvered around him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
However, researchers say more work is needed to determine the ideal "dose" of stair climbing.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
I collapse on the last stair and rock back and forth silently.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
The dogs ran up and down the stairs, barking, every time someone came to the front door.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
“That may be the most flights of stairs we’ve ever done,” Pinkerton told me after the robots finished their ascent.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, exercising, or standing for extended periods can become increasingly difficult.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
"I couldn't even get up the stairs, I was just broken," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
She’d often told me she couldn’t manage without me to run errands up and down the steep stairs.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
