Etages

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Levels or floors in a building ; tiers or layers arranged vertically in architecture ; distinct stories stacked one above another within a structure
2. Horizontal divisions of a building used for different purposes ; successive stages of a construction counted from the ground upwards ; separate storeys forming the vertical sections of a building
3. Individual floors or storeys in multi-level buildings ; architectural layers forming the elevations of structures ; separate levels designed for occupancy or use in a building

Etymology: "Etages" is simply the plural of "etage," a French noun that English borrowed for the levels of a building. The French word itself comes from Old French "estage," which meant a dwelling or a place to stay, and is ultimately related to "stay" and "stage" in the sense of a standing place or a state of being. Its architectural sense developed because a multistorey house was understood as a series of dwelling-places stacked one above another. English speakers mostly reach for this word when describing tall buildings with a certain formal polish, such as a French-style townhouse or a grand apartment block, where "floors" feels too plain. The plural form keeps the French flavour intact, so a building described as having three "etages" sounds more deliberate than one with three ordinary floors.

Synonyms: stories, floors, levels, storeys