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Definition of chairlift

chairlift

/ˈtʃɛrˌlɪft/
chair · lift
Plural:chairlifts
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chairlift Lexical Profile

chairlift Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An aerial transport system consisting of a continuously circulating steel cable suspended between towers from which open chairs hang, used primarily to carry skiers, snowboarders, or sightseers up and down a mountain.

Example

"The skiers boarded the high-speed chairlift to reach the summit before the fresh powder was tracked out."

2

A motorized mechanical seat mounted on a rail along a staircase to transport a person with limited mobility between floors.

Example

"After her knee surgery, they installed a chairlift on the main staircase so she could easily reach the upstairs bedroom."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for chairlift

• Rhymes for chairlift

• Nearby Words

chairback
chairbound
chairlady
chairlift
chairmaker
chairman
chairmanship

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1936 as a compound of "chair" and "lift" when Union Pacific Railroad engineer James Curran invented the first modern aerial ski lift in Sun Valley, Idaho, adapting a cable system originally used to load bananas onto cargo ships.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Chairlift. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/chairlift
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