stairwell

Or stair well

[stair-wel]

noun

1. the vertical shaft or opening containing a stairway.

stairwell

/ ˈstɛəˌwɛl /

noun

1. a vertical shaft or opening that contains a staircase

Word History and Origins

Origin of stairwell¹

First recorded in 1915–20; stair + well ²

Example Sentences

A court later heard he murdered her there and hid her body in a stairwell.

From BBC

There, in a detention center, they slept on a school stairwell and survived on sporadic deliveries of powdered milk.

From Salon

Mobile phones, cameras and other electronic gizmos surrendered, we squeezed along narrow corridors and down stairwells, including a bit of the building that was Henry VIII's tennis court.

From BBC

The Haitian man made it two steps out of the courtroom before he was swarmed by federal agents and ushered down an emergency exit stairwell.

From Los Angeles Times

The source of the irritation is a small blue box installed in a stairwell leading to the market, the latest tactic used by property owners to deter unhoused people from camping out in the area.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• staircase