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 burglars also took a sledgehammer to an elevator door, perhaps thinking a safe was behind it, Balakrishna Sundar said. —Josh Campbell, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024

The house with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms comes with an office, a fitness room, an elevator and a 900-bottle wine cellar. —Catherine Reagor, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024

Accessibility and Sustainability Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos has elevators and wheelchair ramps, and there are two accessible suites. —Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024

Passengers have complained about broken elevators and escalators. —Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024

The 40-story Art Deco-style skyscraper at 500 Griswold St., which is owned by Wayne County and houses many county employees, lost power at about 1 p.m. Detroit firefighters responded to help rescue several passengers from an elevator, a firefighter at the scene said. —Detroit Free Press, 26 Mar. 2024

Guests can easily travel between decks using the watertight elevator or ladder tube. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024

The four floors and seven rooms are accessed by a working elevator. —Maya Polton, Parents, 23 Mar. 2024

Meanwhile, the Johnny Grant apartment is a 2,000-square-foot, one-bedroom suite that guests access via a dedicated elevator stop. —Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing elevator

• space elevator
• grain elevator
• elevator music

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