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

While waiting for the prisoners to emerge out of the federal courthouse elevators, attorneys were seen searching online to quickly familiarize themselves with the case, which has already led to four convictions in May. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026

With one quick trip up the glass elevator, the doors opened and a bronze Norman Rockwell statue sat in the corner, painting and inviting me in. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Seven on-site townhomes adjacent to the hotel range from 2,500 to 3,500 square feet, each sporting three stories with an elevator and two-car garage. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026

Back on the first floor, the elevators are flanked by two theaters that play short film clips not shown anywhere else. — Rakesh Agrawal, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 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