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

Example Sentences

A boiled-cabbage smell hung in the air downstairs in the parlor, but up here on the third floor it wasn’t so bad.

From Literature

He added his son Branch would often wake up early in the morning to check Derby County results to see how Agyemang got on and would "run downstairs shouting" if he scored.

From BBC

Know the location of your stop tap, which is usually under the kitchen sink or stairs, or in a kitchen cupboard, cellar, downstairs bathroom or toilet, garage or utility room.

From BBC

In Matthew Pearl’s novel, an ambitious writer finds that the editor downstairs is more hindrance than help.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, he learns the hard way that his downstairs neighbor is a tyrant.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• basement
• canvas
• carpet
• deck
• flooring
• ground
• mat
• rug
• stage