elevator
EH-luh-vay-tuh
Elevator (noun) means a machine that carries people or goods up and down between floors of a building. Example: “The hotel elevator is slow, so I often take the stairs instead.”
noun
1
A machine that carries people or goods up and down between floors of a building.
"The hotel elevator is slow, so I often take the stairs instead."
"We took the elevator to the top floor."
"The elevator was out of service, so we had to use the stairs."
2
A tall structure used to store and load grain.
"The old grain elevator towered over the little town beside the railway."
"Farmers delivered their wheat to the elevator at the edge of the village."
"Trucks lined up outside the grain elevator during harvest season."
How to use elevator
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA machine that lifts people or goods between floors; in American English this is what British English calls a "lift."
UK vs US
American English uses "elevator"; British English usually says "lift" for the same thing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
take the elevator
elevator shaft
grain elevator
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Word forms
- Plural
- elevators
- Third person singular
- elevators
- Past tense
- elevatored
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The hotel _____ is slow, so I often take the stairs instead.
Etymology
From elevate plus the agent suffix -or, meaning "something that raises."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for elevator
See all rhymes for elevator →Frequently asked questions
What does “elevator” mean?
The word “elevator” means a machine that carries people or goods up and down between floors of a building. In plain terms, a machine that lifts people or goods between floors; in American English this is what British English calls a "lift.".
How do you pronounce “elevator”?
“Elevator” is pronounced EH-luh-vay-tuh (/ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “elevator” in a sentence?
Here is “elevator” used in a sentence: “We took the elevator to the top floor.”
What part of speech is “elevator”?
“Elevator” is a noun.
Is “elevator” a common word?
“Elevator” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “elevator” have?
“Elevator” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a machine that carries people or goods up and down between floors of a building.
What is the difference between an elevator and a lift?
Elevator and lift refer to the same machine that carries people between floors; elevator is standard American English, while lift is standard British English. Both are correct and simply reflect regional usage.
What is a grain elevator?
A grain elevator is a tall structure used to store and load grain, named for the mechanism that lifts the grain to the top for storage. This meaning is entirely separate from the passenger elevator found in buildings.
What is an "elevator pitch"?
An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive summary of an idea or business, short enough to deliver during a single elevator ride. The phrase draws on the image of the elevator as a quick trip between floors.
What is the difference between an elevator and an escalator?
An elevator is an enclosed car that carries people vertically between floors, while an escalator is a moving staircase that carries people at an angle. Elevators stop at set floors, whereas escalators move continuously.
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