trapdoor

American

[trap-dawr, -dohr] / ˈtræpˈdɔr, -ˈdoʊr /

Or trap door

noun

a door flush with the surface of a floor, ceiling, or roof.
the opening that it covers.

adjective

of, relating to, or like a trapdoor.

Etymology

Origin of trapdoor

First recorded in 1325–75, trapdoor is from Middle English trappe dore. See trap ¹, door

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.

The park, which closed in late December, contains games and rides that reference past MrBeast videos, such as a trapdoor tower and catapults.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026

She knows the location of the hidden trapdoor that leads to the rafters of the arch above the nave.

From New York Times • May 6, 2024

That relegation trapdoor might be creaking open for Carlisle...

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2024

“We didn’t know there was this trapdoor you can fall through this far into the process.”

From Science Magazine • Jan. 16, 2024

He pulls the trapdoor shut, and the small space is loud with the sound of our breathing.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023