# stair

/ˈstɛɹ/ (US) · /stˈeə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stair
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a single step

noun · CEFR A2

one of the steps in a set of stairs.

For teachers: a single step in a staircase or flight of steps.

- She sat down on the bottom stair to tie her shoelaces before going outside.
- The old wooden stair creaked loudly under his weight, alerting everyone in the house to his presence.

Usage: Usually refers to the physical structure of one step.

### 2. a set of steps

noun · CEFR A2

a series of steps inside a building; a staircase.

For teachers: a flight of steps or a staircase; almost exclusively used in the plural form 'stairs' in this sense.

- I was out of breath after climbing three flights of stairs to the office.
- The grand marble stairs swept up from the foyer, branching into two separate galleries on the mezzanine level.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural 'stairs' to refer to the entire structure.

Teaching tip: Remind students that 'stairs' is the standard way to refer to the way up or down, while 'staircase' is more formal or descriptive.

## Examples

- He sat down on the bottom stair to tie his shoes.
- The old wooden stair creaked loudly as she tried to walk up to her bedroom without waking anyone.
- Architects must ensure that each individual stair maintains a consistent height and depth to prevent tripping hazards in public stairwells.

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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.