stepladder

American  

[step-lad-er] / ˈstɛpˌlæd ər /

noun

1. a ladder having flat steps or treads in place of rungs.

2. any ladder, especially a tall one with a hinged frame opening up to form four supporting legs.

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stepladder British  

/ ˈstɛpˌlædə /

noun

1. a folding portable ladder that is made of broad flat steps fixed to a supporting frame hinged at the top to another supporting frame

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Etymology

Origin of stepladder

First recorded in 1745–55; step + ladder

Example Sentences

One wonders how many of the complainers who aren't pregnant get dizzy on the top rung of a kitchen stepladder.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2023

They sprung into action and found it on a stepladder where I had apparently set it while looking at Halloween cards for my grandchildren.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 26, 2022

Use a stepladder if you can’t easily reach the top.

From Washington Post • Mar. 21, 2022

“The stepladder is a positive object,” says the artist Woody De Othello in the Richmond, Calif., studio where he makes his vibrant bronze and ceramic sculptures.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2022

The familiar sweet perfume spreading from the fire met their nostrils as they emerged at the top of the stepladder.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling