Stair

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /stɛɚ/

Definitions

1. A step or series of steps that connects two different levels or floors in a building
2. A raised structure consisting of a series of steps that allows passage between different heights or floors in a building or architectural space
3. An architectural feature made up of a sequence of steps leading from one level to another, often found in buildings or outdoor areas

Etymology: The English "stair" descends from Old English "stǣġer", which meant a stair or staircase, and it is closely tied to the verb "stile", as in "stile" meaning a set of steps over a fence. Its deeper root is a Proto-Indo-European verb meaning "to walk, proceed, march, climb", which is also the ancestor of "sty" in the sense of a ladder or path upward, a reminder that the word began as an idea of movement rather than of a fixed object. The Germanic branch shows the same pattern. The Old English verb "stīġan" meant to go, rise, or climb, and "āstǣġan" meant to ascend or go up, including to embark on a ship. German "Stiege" still means a flight of stairs, and Dutch "steiger" has widened to cover a stair, a wharf, a pier, and scaffolding, all things one climbs or walks upon. Middle English spelled the word many ways, including "steire", "staire", and "stayre", before the modern form settled. Its meaning has stayed remarkably stable: a set of steps for going up or down between levels.

Synonyms: step, staircase, flight, stairs, landing