escalator

1 of 2

noun

es·​ca·​la·​tor ˈe-skə-ˌlā-tər 

nonstandard

-skyə- 

1

a

: a power-driven set of stairs arranged like an endless belt that ascend or descend continuously

b

: an upward course suggestive of an escalator

a never-stopping escalator of economic progress

—D. W. Brogan

2

: an escalator clause or provision

escalator

2 of 2

adjective

: providing for a periodic proportional upward or downward adjustment (as of prices or wages)

an escalator arrangement tying the base pay … to living costs

—New York Times

Examples of escalator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Travelers fixate on aviation flight safety, but the real threats are on the ground — from escalator accidents and fake Wi-Fi to distracted walking and theft. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Moving people up and down this vertical city requires 59 elevators, including five double-deck elevators capable of traveling, along with multiple escalators and sky lobbies. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025

Turnstiles are easy to install if there are stairs or escalators to a subway, for example. —Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025

One of the projects that has been deferred to after the 2026 season is improving escalators and elevators. —Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Escalator, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1930, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for escalator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

escalator

noun

es·​ca·​la·​tor

ˈes-kə-ˌlāt-ər

: a moving set of stairs arranged like a continuous belt