Word Noun
stairwell
n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈstɛɹˌwɛɫ/ UK /stˈeəwɛl/ stair·well UK spelling stairwells
Definition
n.the area inside a building where the stairs are located. It is usually a vertical space with walls around it.
n.the enclosed vertical space within a building that contains a flight of stairs.
Examples
“The fire alarm went off in the stairwell.”
“The emergency exit is located in the stairwell on the second floor of the office building.”
“The architect designed the stairwell as a central atrium to allow natural light to reach the lower levels of the structure.”
Real-world usage
“The murder of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor in a Peckham stairwell 26 years ago has lost none of its horrors with age.”
“The roof had to be opened using a crane after the stairwell collapsed.”
Etymology
From stair + well.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated