downstairs

American  

[daun-stairz, daun-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

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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

See Examples For:

downstairs

The house had been empty for some time and a number of break-ins eventually led to the downstairs windows being boarded up, which had not helped the atmosphere, Way said.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“I lived in a duplex with my grandparents and saw them downstairs every morning,” Elsesser says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

But when it intensified, he got out of bed and ran downstairs.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Pro tip: In the months leading up to the move, I also saved boxes from deliveries I received, instead of hauling them downstairs to the recycling bin.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

We huddled there together under piles of blankets, leaving Peter downstairs sleeping in the chair by the stove.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

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