stair
Americannoun
-
stairs
plural
-
one of a flight or series of steps for going from one level to another, as in a building.
-
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.
-
a series or flight of steps; stairway.
a winding stair.
noun
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one of a flight of stairs
-
a series of steps
a narrow stair
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Vocabulary lists containing stair
"Mother to Son"
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Spelling Practice, Unit 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They also say future studies should use wearable technology to track physical activity more precisely and help determine the most effective amount of stair climbing to recommend.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Six months ago, Rebecca Holder contacted the BBC after a visit from stair lift salesman Jason Sarver.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
She finished by painting the handrail a bright blue and wrapping each stair with a Persian-style runner.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
A generation or so ago, an open stair like this would have been restricted to two stories to ensure it didn’t act as a flue during a fire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
I groped for the stair railing in the dark and felt a warm hand take mine.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
One large cohort study included in the analysis indicated that climbing about six flights of stairs each day might provide the greatest benefit.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman fell down the visiting dugout stairs while chasing a foul ball in the eighth inning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Finally, the Daily Express covers a study that shows taking the stairs instead of the lift could cut your risk of an early death by nearly a quarter.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Video in the Washington Post's report shows a catering truck lowering from the older Air Force One jet, minutes after Trump walked up stairs into the plane.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
I left Katrien in the dining room, wheeled my bicycle down the stairs, and bumped as fast as I could the mile and a half to Nollie’s.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
