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
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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.
See Examples For:
Aerobic activities included brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming, cycling, tennis, squash, strenuous outdoor work, and stair climbing.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026
Despite "training five hours a day" and "running, walking, biking, stair climbing," she told the show she had no other choice but to "try something different".
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
She finished by painting the handrail bright blue and wrapping each stair with a Persian-style runner.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
Still, amid the delights of Mr. Koolhaas’s stair, there are reminders that he is part of the generation of Deconstructivist architects who disdained the profession’s traditional values of unity, harmony and stability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
A tongue the length of a stair carpet encircled the flask as he popped off the lid and tossed the whole contents down.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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As they descended the stairs, their over-10-story building in the worst-hit state of La Guaira fell to pieces around them.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
New research from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital suggests that something as simple as choosing the stairs could contribute to a longer life.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman fell down the visiting dugout stairs while chasing a foul ball in the eighth inning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately using external stairs in an effort to make the flight appear normal, according to the newspaper.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Father and I hurried behind Betsie up the stairs.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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Definitions 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.