chairlift

American  

[chair-lift] / ˈtʃɛərˌlɪft /

Or chair lift

noun

1. a series of chairs suspended from an endless cable driven by motors, for conveying skiers up the side of a slope.

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chairlift British  

/ ˈtʃɛəˌlɪft /

noun

1. a series of chairs suspended from a power-driven cable for conveying people, esp skiers, up a mountain

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Etymology

Origin of chairlift

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; chair + lift

Example Sentences

The 22-year-old woman had been using a chairlift at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari, Nagano prefecture, when part of her backpack became caught in the lift mechanism, leaving her suspended in midair.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

Though residences lack direct frontage on Lake Tahoe—typically the area’s priciest real estate—Martis Camp provides a Tom Fazio-designed golf course and a members-only chairlift to ski terrain at Northstar California Resort.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Palisades Tahoe reopened Thursday, though KT-22 remained closed, and resort officials said they lost access to the road to the chairlift because of the avalanche debris, leading to delayed openings.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2024

Over a six-minute ride, the chairlift shepherds skiers to an area where they can access multiple runs to traverse 1,800 feet to the bottom.

From New York Times • Jan. 10, 2024

I managed to reach the top of the ski hill only to fall off the chairlift and lose all my gear.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 4, 2024