stair

noun

ˈster How to pronounce stair (audio)
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 stairs— Lewis 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.
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.
Walk as part of your errands, park just a little farther away, take the stairs where available and slowly the pedometer will tick up. — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025 Nine-year-old Cole Morris cowered in between his grandfather and seven of their family members, whispering prayers as rising floodwaters lapped furiously at the stairs of their attic. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025 Dock at the southern edge of the island and climb the stairs to see the orchards and gardens planted by former lighthouse keepers that are still tended to by the National Park Service today. — Katherine Lawless, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2025 Across from the main stairs to the house on the patio is a small seating area for two. — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 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

Phrases Containing stair

Rhymes for stair

See All Rhymes for stair

Browse Nearby Words

stainless steel
stair
staircase
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stair. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.

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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

Nglish: Translation of stair for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stair

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