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Definition of stairway

stairway

/ˈstɛər.weɪ/
stair · way
Plural:stairways
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stairway Lexical Profile

stairway Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A passageway or shaft containing a flight of stairs leading from one level or floor of a building to another.

Example

"When the elevator broke down, we had to carry our heavy luggage up the narrow stairway to the fourth floor."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for stairway

• Rhymes for stairway

• Nearby Words

stairlift
stairlike
stairstep
stairway
stairwell
stake
stakeholder

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the 18th century as a compound of 'stair' (from Old English 'stæger', related to 'stigan' meaning 'to climb') and 'way' (from Old English 'weg', meaning 'path' or 'passage').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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