second floor

American  

noun

1. the floor or story above the ground floor.

2. (in Britain and elsewhere outside the U.S.) the second story completely above ground level.

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second floor British  

noun

1. US and Canadian term: third floor.  the storey of a building immediately above the first and two floors up from the ground

2. British equivalent: first floor.  the floor or storey of a building immediately above the ground floor

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Etymology

Origin of second floor

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

The last she had heard was that they were hiding on the third floor of their building, but the water had already reached the second floor.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

The second floor moves on to his 2008 US election win, while the third celebrates the achievements of his presidency.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

He built the quintessential bachelor pad: 3,700 square feet with 30-foot ceilings, but just one bedroom, on a spacious second floor, the bed facing the waves.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Meanwhile, we stay on the first floor with the baby while he practices upstairs on the second floor.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

She went up the narrow stairs to the second floor.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott