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

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

"As soon as we heard the earthquake alert, everyone ran downstairs," Chaw Su Thwe, a Myanmar national living in Hokkaido, told the BBC.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

“So we had a little spot downstairs at the hotel. We had a little party down there.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Treat yourself: For some people, that might be a writer’s retreat or yoga holiday, while for others it’s a new downstairs bathroom or underfloor heating.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

Zipping my backpack closed, I dump the last of the water from my watering can onto the soil of my potted fern, grab my hoodie from the end of my bed, and head downstairs.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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