escalator
Escalator (noun) means a moving staircase made of a continuous loop of steps that carries people between floors. Example: “They took the escalator up to the second floor of the mall.”
How to use escalator
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA moving set of stairs that carries people up or down automatically.
Word forms
escalatored past tense, escalators plural, escalators singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They took the _____ up to the second floor of the mall.
Etymology
Coined around 1900 from Latin ē- ("out of") plus scala ("ladder") plus the agent suffix -tor — originally a trademark for the moving-stair device before becoming a generic word.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for escalator
See all rhymes for escalator →Frequently asked questions
What does “escalator” mean?
The word “escalator” means a moving staircase made of a continuous loop of steps that carries people between floors. In plain terms, a moving set of stairs that carries people up or down automatically.
How do you pronounce “escalator”?
“Escalator” is pronounced EHS-kuh-lay-tuh (/ˈɛs.kə.leɪ.tɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “escalator” in a sentence?
Here is “escalator” used in a sentence: “They took the escalator up to the second floor of the mall.”
What part of speech is “escalator”?
“Escalator” is a noun.
Where does the word “escalator” come from?
The word “escalator” dates back to around 1900 and comes from Latin. Coined around 1900 from Latin ē- ("out of") plus scala ("ladder") plus the agent suffix -tor — originally a trademark for the moving-stair device before becoming a generic word.
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