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
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
Accessibility In accordance with Japan’s progressive rules for handicap accessibility, all floors are accessible with wide elevator access, lower level buttons reachable from wheelchairs, and wheelchair accessible bathrooms on the restaurant level.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
One inside an elevator vestibule and another in a parking garage.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
From the last elevator, the crew will walk around the 274-foot platform and across the 60-foot-long crew access arm leading to their moonship.
—Miles Doran, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Officials have been asked to take the stairs instead of using elevators, and offices have been encouraged to keep temperatures at 79 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing air-conditioning use.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elevator
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
One inside an elevator vestibule and another in a parking garage.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
From the last elevator, the crew will walk around the 274-foot platform and across the 60-foot-long crew access arm leading to their moonship.
—Miles Doran, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Officials have been asked to take the stairs instead of using elevators, and offices have been encouraged to keep temperatures at 79 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing air-conditioning use.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elevator
Cite this Entry
“Elevator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elevator. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
