# downstairs

/ˈdaʊnˈstɛɹz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/downstairs
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. towards a lower floor

adverb · CEFR A2

to or on a lower floor of a building.

For teachers: to or on a lower floor of a building, typically the ground floor.

- I heard a strange noise, so I went downstairs to check the kitchen.
- The children ran downstairs as soon as they smelled the aroma of fresh coffee and breakfast coming from the kitchen.

### 2. located on a lower floor

adjective · CEFR A2

describes something that is on a lower floor.

For teachers: located on a lower floor of a building; used attributively before a noun.

- The downstairs bathroom is much smaller than the one in our bedroom.
- The downstairs windows were fitted with reinforced glass to provide extra security against potential intruders.

### 3. the lower floor

noun · CEFR B1

the entire lower floor or ground floor of a house.

For teachers: the lower floor or floors of a building, especially a residential house.

- The whole downstairs was flooded after the pipe burst in the night.
- The renovation focused entirely on the downstairs, transforming several small rooms into a single open-plan living space.

### 4. genitalia

noun · CEFR C1 · Humorous · Slang · Informal

a polite or funny way to talk about a person's private parts.

For teachers: a euphemistic reference to the human genitalia.

- He took a painful hit downstairs during the football match.
- The comedian made several crude jokes about his 'downstairs' that left half the audience laughing and the other half embarrassed.

Usage: Usually used with 'the' or a possessive pronoun like 'my' or 'his'.

Teaching tip: This is a common euphemism used to avoid medical or vulgar terms; it is informal and often intended to be funny.

## Examples

- I am going downstairs to get a glass of water.
- The kitchen and living room are downstairs, while the bedrooms are on the upper floor.
- After hearing a suspicious thud in the middle of the night, he cautiously crept downstairs to investigate the source of the noise.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.