stair

noun

ˈster 

1

: a series of steps or flights of steps for passing from one level to another

—often used in plural but singular or plural in construction

… a narrow private stairs …

—Lewis Mumford

2

: a single step of a stairway

Examples of stair in a Sentence

She ran down the stairs.

He waited at the foot of the stairs.

She slipped and fell down the stairs.

The stairs lead to the roof.

We had to climb another flight of stairs to get to the roof.

He tripped on the bottom stair and almost fell.

Recent Examples on the Web

When making a midnight bathroom run, the stairs sport LED lighting like runway lights at an airfield. —Stefan Ionescu may 06, New Atlas, 6 May 2026

The limestone stairs leading to it are worn by the footsteps of generations of midshipmen — young men and women training to carry the weight of command. —Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 6 May 2026

He was arrested after firing a shotgun in the direction of stairs leading to the ballroom dinner area, prosecutors said in an April 29 court filing. —Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 5 May 2026

Cohen recalls Kyle Poole, his drummer, walking the drums down Edgecombe Avenue and then up the stairs of the fifth-floor walk-up. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 5 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English steir, from Old English stǣger; akin to Old English & Old High German stīgan to rise, Greek steichein to walk

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stair

• stair climber
• stair climbing
• stair stepper

Rhymes for stair

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

stair

noun

ˈsta(ə)r 

ˈste(ə)r

1

: a series of steps or flights of steps for passing from one level to another

—often used in plural

ran down the stairs

2

: one step of a stairway