stair

American  

[stair] / stɛər /

noun

1. one of a flight or series of steps for going from one level to another, as in a building.

2. stairs, such steps collectively, especially as forming a flight or a series of flights.

   I was so excited I ran all the way up the stairs.

3. a series or flight of steps; stairway.

   a winding stair.

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stair British  

/ stɛə /

noun

1. one of a flight of stairs

2. a series of steps

   a narrow stair

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Other Word Forms

• stairless adjective
• stairlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of stair

before 1000; Middle English stey ( e ) r, Old English stǣger; cognate with Dutch, Low German steiger landing; akin to sty ¹

Example Sentences

The new wing was designed by Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas with Cooper Robertson, and has the geometric look of angular mesh enveloping an open stair case, elevator shafts and display spaces.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

That could include outstanding medical bills from the past six years, in-home care or safety upgrades like wheelchair access, modifying a bathroom or adding a stair lift to a home.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Unless you’re a member of the niche, but fervent subculture of architects, urbanists and pro-housing advocates who clamor for “single stair reform,” this might not sound like big news.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 23, 2025

The stair does not lead the visitor upward with a clear indication that there is art to be seen, and that the journey is worth the effort.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

Betsie pointed to the Frisian clock on the stair wall, and with a finger on her lips silently opened the dining room door.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

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• extent
• grade
• intensity
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