stair

noun

1
: a series of steps or flights of steps for passing from one level to another
often used in plural but singular or plural in construction
a narrow private stairsLewis Mumford
2
: a single step of a stairway

Examples of stair in a Sentence

She ran down the stairs. He waited at the foot of the stairs. She slipped and fell down the stairs. The stairs lead to the roof. We had to climb another flight of stairs to get to the roof. He tripped on the bottom stair and almost fell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the resurfaced video, Musk can be seen walking down a flight of stairs, while his son X Æ A-Xii trails behind. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 The new sequence of spaces leads visitors to the Grand Hall above via stairs, escalators and elevators, providing a variety of options for guests. Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025 Earlier this month, on Feb. 6, the politician fell down a flight of stairs moments after voting to confirm Scott Turner, President Donald Trump's cabinet pick, as the Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary. Stacy Lambe, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025 Presumably there will be some sort of elevator or stairs installed to reach the top, and it'll all be wrapped in a glazed shell too, allowing it to be kept a comfortable temperature in all weather and lending a strangely futuristic appearance to the entire thing. New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stair

Word History

Etymology

Middle English steir, from Old English stǣger; akin to Old English & Old High German stīgan to rise, Greek steichein to walk

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stair was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stair. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

stair

noun
ˈsta(ə)r How to pronounce stair (audio)
ˈste(ə)r
1
: a series of steps or flights of steps for passing from one level to another
often used in plural
ran down the stairs
2
: one step of a stairway

More from Merriam-Webster on stair

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!