stage

1 of 5

noun (1)

plural stages
1
a
: one of a series of positions or stations one above the other : step
b
: the height of the surface of a river above an arbitrary zero point
flood stage
2
a(1)
: a raised platform
(2)
: the part of a theater on which the acting takes place and which often includes the wings
(3)
: the acting profession : the theater as an occupation or activity
(4)
b
: a center of attention or scene of action
3
a
: a scaffold for workmen
b
: the small platform of a microscope on which an object is placed for examination
4
a
: a place of rest formerly provided for those traveling by stagecoach : station
b
: the distance between two stopping places on a road
5
a
: a period or step in a process, activity, or development: such as
(1)
: one of the distinguishable periods of growth and development of a plant or animal
the larval stage of an insect
(2)
: a period or phase in the course of a disease
also : the degree of involvement or severity of a disease
b
: one passing through a (specified) stage
6
: an element or part of an electronic device (such as an amplifier)
7
: one of two or more sections of a rocket that have their own fuel and engine
stageful noun
stagelike adjective

stage

2 of 5

verb (1)

staged; staging; stages

transitive verb

1
: to produce (something, such as a play) on a stage
2
: to produce or cause to happen for public view or public effect
stage a track meet
staged a fight
stage a hunger strike
3
: to arrange or decorate a house, condominium, etc. in order to enhance its appeal to prospective buyers or renters
Though it can be a bit pricey, having your home staged for sale is worth considering.Casey Bond
4
: to determine the phase or severity of (a disease) based on a classification of established symptomatic criteria
also : to evaluate (a patient) to determine the phase, severity, or progression of a disease
stageable adjective

stage

3 of 5

adjective

: intended to represent a type or stereotype
a stage Irishman
a stage French accent

stage

4 of 5

noun (2)

plural stages
1
: a usually unpaid internship in a professional kitchen that is part of a chef's training
The stereotypical stage—whether culinary school externship or a two-day effort—involves cleaning mushrooms by the bucketful or chopping onions until your eyeballs dissolve.Jonathan Kauffman
2
: a person who holds such an internship : stagiaire
… a Michelin-starred restaurant will most likely have at least one stage in its kitchen on any given night, and many of America's best restaurants have an ever-changing roster of stages constantly passing through the kitchen doors.Matt Tripp

stage

5 of 5

verb (2)

staged; staging; stages

intransitive verb

: to intern in a professional kitchen usually without pay as part of one's training to become a chef
I'd attended culinary school, staged at Jean Georges in New York City and worked the line at Gramercy Tavern.Sophie Brickman
Phrases
on the stage
: in or into the acting profession

Examples of stage in a Sentence

Noun (1) an early stage of the disease children at the same stage of development The actors walked out onto the stage. He was on stage for the entire show. He has no intention of leaving the political stage. The company wants to compete on the world stage. Verb (1) The school stages two plays each year. The students staged a protest. The school is staging a track meet. The prisoners are staging a hunger strike. The photograph of the two leaders shaking hands was deliberately staged. His career as a singer appeared to be over, but then he staged a comeback.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Their feats are not just for the sake of a gasp — shout-out here to the astonishing Keaton Hentoff-Killian — but are metaphorically connected to the story on stage. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 The first floor is a wide open space for standing in front of the stage, with some lounge seating and silk curtains along one wall and VIP tables with leather seats on the opposite side. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 The shift to remote work during the early stages of the pandemic unexpectedly provided relief, allowing many to perform their duties away from toxic office environments. Ebony Flake, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024 Another factor: The Lakers might use the pick in a draft-night trade in another round of star chasing for the final stages of LeBron James’ career. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 The European Union and other states are racing ahead of U.S. legislators, who remain in the early stages of crafting AI legislation. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 And Lorne started beating them up and pulling these people back from the stage. Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024 Marguerite Clark: The stage and film actor, born in Avondale, was briefly America’s darling during the silent film era of the 1910s. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024 And thank goodness for that, because the 2024 Oscars stage is decidedly not. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
The appetizer, cleverly staged on the backs of empty shells, could be mistaken for a main course. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Kejriwal’s supporters and members of other opposition parties staged protests outside his house in Delhi, calling the arrest a political move by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sania Farooqui, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 Israel has staged a series of raids on the hospital. Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Houthi attacks blamed for impending layoffs at Israeli port Dockworkers at Israel's Eilat Port staged a protest Wednesday after the Histadrut labor federation revealed that about half the 120 employees face layoffs because of attacks targeting Red Sea shipping. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 The album promises work of similar intensity, staging an inquiry into death and aging. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2024 Many of them shuttered, and although some users staged an online blockade, many have adopted Reddit’s official apps to maintain access. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2024 That visit genuinely happened (the devout Chisholm believed in forgiveness…and repentance), but Ridley hits a wrong note by staging the encounter as if the two were old college chums. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 When: Open houses typically are staged in the spring and fall. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Adjective
As 444 Capital is currently focused on deploying this first D’Amelio Family Fund to deserving mid-stage tech startups, particularly those founded by founders from underrepresented groups. Yola Robert, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 The results met the main goal of a mid-stage clinical trial, with the potential for less frequent injections than a similar experimental treatment being developed by a competing drugmaker. Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 22 Mar. 2023 Codenamed Katharina, the new high-performance electric drivetrain boasts ultrafast wheel-by-wheel torque vectoring, multi-stage cooling, a supplementary brake-by-motor energy regeneration system and new dynamic features like piloted drifting and the ability to perform tank turns. Georg Kacher, Car and Driver, 16 Feb. 2023 The multi-stage Royal George Theatre has closed. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 And until a new, unified security strategy is in place, one that treats the expanding network and the multi-stage attack chain holistically, this issue is not going to improve. Fortinet Contributor, Forbes, 14 June 2021 The surge coincides with multi-stage state elections marked by large gatherings and roadshows, and the Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival, celebrated in northern Haridwar city, where tens of thousands of Hindu devotees daily take a holy dip into the Ganges river. chicagotribune.com, 29 Mar. 2021 Faster turnover would jeopardize the multi-stage review and thus compromise authority and comprehensiveness. Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2010 The venue is multi-stage GenZ paradise, Elsewhere, in Brooklyn, NY. Colin Kirkland, SPIN, 27 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French estage abode, story of a building, state, from Vulgar Latin *staticum, from Latin stare to stand — more at stand

Noun (2)

borrowed from French, "period of practical experience constituting the concluding part of training for a profession," earlier "obligatory period of residence of a newly appointed canon before he could receive the prebend due him," borrowed from Medieval Latin stagium "abode, residence" (in stagium facere "to live in a place from which one receives a benefice"), latinization of Old French estage "abode" — more at stage entry 1

Verb (2)

derivative of stage entry 4

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1824, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1989, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stage was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near stage

Cite this Entry

“Stage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stage. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stage

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: one of the levels into which a structure can be divided
b
: a floor of a building
c
: a shelf or layer especially as one of a series
2
a
: a raised platform
b
: a part of a theater including the acting area
c
: the small platform of a microscope on which an object is placed for examination
3
a
: a center of attention : scene of action
b
: the theatrical profession or art
4
a
: a place of rest formerly provided for those traveling by stagecoach
b
: the distance between stopping places in a journey
c
: stage coach
traveling by stage
5
a
: a period or step in a process, activity, or development
an early stage of a disease
b
: one of the periods of the growth and development of a plant or animal
the larval stage of a beetle
also : an individual in such a stage
6
: one of two or more sections of a rocket each having its own fuel and engine
a three-stage missile

stage

2 of 2 verb
staged; staging
: to produce or show publicly on or as if on the stage
stages two plays each year
stage a track meet

Medical Definition

stage

1 of 2 noun
1
: a period or step in a process, activity, or development: as
a
: one of the distinguishable periods of growth and development of a plant or animal
the larval stage of an insect
b
: a period or phase in the course of a disease
the rash stage of Lyme diseaseR. H. Boyle
also : the degree of involvement or severity of a disease
advanced stage II or III disease (more than 10 positive lymph nodes found after axillary dissection) M. S. Anscher et al.
c
: one of two or more operations performed at different times but constituting a single procedure
a two-stage thoracoplasty
d
: any of the four degrees indicating depth of general anesthesia
2
: the small platform of a microscope on which an object is placed for examination

stage

2 of 2 transitive verb
staged; staging
: to determine the phase or severity of (a disease) based on a classification of established symptomatic criteria
also : to evaluate (a patient) to determine the phase, severity, or progression of a disease

More from Merriam-Webster on stage

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