stair

American  

[stair] / stɛər /

noun

1. one of a flight or series of steps for going from one level to another, as in a building.

2. 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.

3. a series or flight of steps; stairway.

   a winding stair.

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stair British  

/ stɛə /

noun

1. one of a flight of stairs

2. a series of steps

   a narrow stair

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Other Word Forms

• stairless adjective
• stairlike adjective

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

Example Sentences

Mother and Father crisscrossed the floorboards, wiggled the front door latch, listened to the individual creak of each stair.

From Literature

The staffers finally bolted down nine storeys of smoke-choked stairs - no masks, just wet shirts and jackets pressed to their faces.

From BBC

“I should have mentioned that there is a set of stairs at the far end of the corridor that leads above deck.”

From Literature

I hadn’t gone up any stairs, so the ground must be just below.

From Literature

Recently, he told me that stairs have become difficult for him and that he would like to install a chair lift but cannot afford it.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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