stairway

American  

[stair-wey] / ˈstɛərˌweɪ /

noun

stairways plural

1. a passageway from one level, as of a building, to another by a series of stairs; staircase.

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stairway British  

/ ˈstɛəˌweɪ /

noun

1. a means of access consisting of stairs; staircase or flight of steps

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stairways
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stairway

First recorded in 1790–1800; stair + way ¹

Example Sentences

While the beach is accessible via a nearby public stairway, the agency argues that route is insufficient for the disabled or, for instance, those with strollers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

After the game ended with the Lakers stunning overtime victory, fans lined up to give him high-fives and cheer for him as his family descended a stairway.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Barroso acquired his home in the late 1980s and only started hearing about the stairway project from 1992, when the Barcelona Olympics transformed the city's image as a tourist magnet.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

Afterward, in a stairway, he said, “What are you going to do when you leave?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

I’d never seen a house as beautiful as Grandma and Grandpa’s home, with its gleaming floors, big eat-in kitchen, and a wide stairway up to the second floor.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Related Words

• staircase
• stairwell