stair

noun

ˈster How to pronounce stair (audio)
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
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.
Oba Femi hit a suplex of his own to Brock Lesnar on the outside and drove Brock Lesnar into the steel stairs shoulder-first. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Insider tip Take the living room stairs up to the second floor where a secluded lounge area awaits. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 His theory is that Leslie was actually killed at the Bucks’ other house, where Leslie’s mother lived, then driven back to the place on Mason’s Island and staged at the bottom of the stairs. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Some lowered themselves by ropes from the top of buildings that are 42 and 54 stories tall after climbing stairs to the roofs. — Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stair

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of stair was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing stair

Rhymes for stair

See All Rhymes for stair

Browse Nearby Words

stainless steel
stair
staircase
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stair. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stair

noun
ˈsta(ə)r How to pronounce stair (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on stair

Nglish: Translation of stair for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stair

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