elevator

noun

el·​e·​va·​tor ˈe-lə-ˌvā-tər 

1

: one that raises or lifts something up: such as

a

: an endless belt or chain conveyor with cleats, scoops, or buckets for raising material

b

: a cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for conveying people or things to different levels

c

: grain elevator

2

: a movable airfoil usually attached to the tailplane of an airplane for controlling pitch see airplane illustration

Examples of elevator in a Sentence

We took the elevator to the 10th floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

The quick elevator ride up to my room offered another vantage point of the iconic tower and the gradients of landscaped gardens below, this time from the privacy of my own spacious balcony. —Rebekah Peppler, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2024

Make special plans and take a special elevator that goes all the way to the top of the RenCen for a glamorous evening with the glittering backdrops of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario for your cocktail experience. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing elevator

• elevator music
• grain elevator
• space elevator

Kids Definition

elevator

noun

el·​e·​va·​tor ˈel-ə-ˌvāt-ər 

1

a

: a continuous belt or chain conveyor for raising material

b

: a cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for carrying things or people to different levels

c

: a building for elevating, storing, unloading, and sometimes grinding grain

called also grain elevator

2

: a movable device shaped like a wing that is usually attached to the tail of an airplane for producing motion up or down

Medical Definition

elevator

noun

el·​e·​va·​tor ˈel-ə-ˌvāt-ər 

1

: a dental instrument for removing teeth or the roots of teeth which cannot be gripped with a forceps

2

: a surgical instrument for raising a depressed part (as a bone) or for separating contiguous parts