downstairs

American  

[doun-stairz, doun-stairz] / ˈdaʊnˈstɛərz, ˈdaʊnˌstɛərz /

adverb

1. down the stairs.

2. to or on a lower floor.

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adjective

1. Also downstair pertaining to or situated on a lower floor, especially the ground floor.

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) the lower floor or floors of a building.

   The downstairs is being painted.

2. the stairway designated for use by people descending.

   Don't try to go up the downstairs.

downstairs British  

/ ˈdaʊnˈstɛəz /

adverb

1. down the stairs; to or on a lower floor

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noun

1. 1. a lower or ground floor

   2. ( as modifier )

      a downstairs room

2. informal the servants of a household collectively Compare upstairs

Etymology

Origin of downstairs

First recorded in 1590–1600; down ¹ + stair + -s ³

Explanation

Something that's downstairs is located below you, down at least one flight of stairs on a lower floor. Your downstairs bathroom is the one on the first floor of your house. If your baseball breaks a neighbor's downstairs window, it means you hit the ball low, and when your friend says you can stay in his downstairs bedroom, you'll be sleeping on the lowest floor of his house. Downstairs is also an adverb, so you can run downstairs or trip and fall downstairs. Occasionally people also use it as a noun: "The downstairs is a mess, but we painted all of the rooms upstairs."

Example Sentences

Borel, a congenial 39-year-old whose family owns the inn in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, thought their request to see the wine collection was strange, but he led them downstairs anyway.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

We’d moved out from Brooklyn into a little house—two bedrooms downstairs and two in the unfinished attic if you could finish it.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

This typically happens during the lowering portion of a movement, such as bringing a dumbbell down, walking downstairs, or slowly lowering yourself into a chair.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

Other rooms downstairs include the B-Movie Bathroom, ’Naynay’s Kitchen of Progress and the ’80s & ’90s Food Culture Hall of Fame dining room, which is illuminated by a Pizza Hut pendant.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

We would take it downstairs to Mrs. Wigginbottom at supper.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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