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 2014 Met Gala remains etched in pop culture history — not just for the red carpet fashion, but for the dramatic footage of Jay-Z and Solange fighting in The Standard hotel elevator following an afterparty at the Boom Boom Room in New York City. —Alyssa Modos, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026

The ground floor is fully accessible, and an elevator is available to bring guests to the upper floors. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026

Regulations require certain size hallways, for example, and heavy robotic equipment may need extra floor support and special elevators. —Suzanne King, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026

The building’s elevator wasn’t functioning at the time of the incident. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 2 May 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