escalator
n. countable A2 Elementary US //ˈɛskəˌɫeɪtɝ// UK //ˈɛskɐlˌeɪtɐ// es·ca·la·tor
n. a set of moving stairs that carries people between different floors of a building. You usually find them in places like shopping malls or train stations.
n. a power-driven set of stairs, arranged as a continuous loop, used for transporting people between different levels of a building.
The escalator is broken, so we have to take the stairs.
The department store installed a new escalator to help shoppers move more quickly between the clothing and home goods floors.
Modern urban transit hubs rely on high-capacity escalators to manage the constant flow of commuters moving from deep underground platforms to the street level during peak hours.