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
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 skyscraper's vast interior will include 59 elevators and 157 floors.
—
Adam Williams, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2024
The elevator and the curved staircase lined with a wall of windows take one up to the 23-foot-high living room.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2024
Automated elevators have in recent years drawn comparison to the advent of driverless cars.
—Jenn Brice, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
At one point when the elevators were under maintenance, elderly volunteers had to climb dozen of stairs on their own to deliver meals to residents all the way up to the 15th floor.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elevator 
Adam Williams, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2024
The elevator and the curved staircase lined with a wall of windows take one up to the 23-foot-high living room.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2024
Automated elevators have in recent years drawn comparison to the advent of driverless cars.
—Jenn Brice, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
At one point when the elevators were under maintenance, elderly volunteers had to climb dozen of stairs on their own to deliver meals to residents all the way up to the 15th floor.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elevator
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elevator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near elevator
Cite this Entry
“Elevator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elevator. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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