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 arch, which would be ringed with protective bollards, includes an elevator-accessible observation deck. —Arden Farhi, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

That's why, on a recent visit, I was relieved to find that the Park Hyatt Tokyo felt familiar as soon as the elevator doors slid open into the 41st-floor Peak Lounge. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026

Silver Ray’s noteworthy high-tech touches include public bathrooms that open and close with a wave of a hand and touchscreen elevators. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

There’s a saying that gas prices take the elevator up and the stairs down, meaning prices rise fast but fall slowly. —Karl Montevirgen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing elevator

• elevator music
• grain elevator
• space elevator

Rhymes for elevator

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

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