riser

American  

[rahy-zer] / ˈraɪ zər /

noun

1. a person who rises, especially from bed.

   to be an early riser.

2. the vertical face of a stair step.

3. any of a group of long boards or narrow platforms that can be combined in stepwise fashion.

   The choir stood on a horseshoe of risers behind the orchestra.

4. a vertical pipe, duct, or conduit.

5. Metallurgy. a chamber or enlarged opening at the top of a mold for allowing air to escape or adding extra metal.

6. Nautical.

   1. a heavy strake of planking in the vicinity of the garboard strake in a wooden vessel.

   2. rising.

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riser British  

/ ˈraɪzə /

noun

1. a person who rises, esp from bed

   an early riser

2. the vertical part of a stair or step

3. a vertical pipe, esp one within a building

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Etymology

Origin of riser

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at rise, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Workday stock was the S&P 500’s biggest riser, up 7.2%, while the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector exchanged-traded fund climbed 1.6%.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

Ericsson was the biggest riser in the Stoxx 600 index—up 12%—after raising its dividend and announcing a $1.7 billion buyback plan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Telecom Italia is the biggest riser in the index, climbing 2.25%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Britain's Cameron Norrie is the sharpest riser in the top 100, jumping 21 spots to 60 after reaching the fourth round.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2025

Mom announced that since she was not by nature an early riser, she would not be getting up to see me off.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls