elevator
elevator Lexical Profile
elevator Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A moving platform or cage for carrying passengers or freight from one level of a building or structure to another.
"We took the elevator to the fiftieth floor to enjoy the panoramic view of the city skyline."
North American A tall building or structure equipped with machinery for loading, unloading, cleaning, mixing, and storing grain.
"The rural landscape was dominated by a massive grain elevator situated near the railway tracks."
A hinged flap on the trailing edge of an aircraft's horizontal stabilizer, used to control the pitch of the airplane.
"The pilot adjusted the elevator to bring the nose of the aircraft up during the final approach."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American and Canadian English, 'elevator' is the standard term for a vertical passenger cabin in a building, whereas 'lift' is predominantly used in British and Commonwealth English.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century from the Latin 'elevator' (one who raises), from the verb 'elevare', combining 'e-' (out, up) and 'levare' (to make light, lift).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.