stair

Meaning

1. A single step in a staircase.
2. A series of steps; a staircase.

Synonyms

step

rung

ladder

🪜

steps

staircase

stairway

tread

flight of steps

stairs

stair-step

stepladder

stile

stitches

treadle

walking

🚶

step flyer

pro jump

footboard

footstep

landing-stage

pace

pedal

rundle

single step

Pronounced as (IPA)

/stɛɚ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: steire

Inherited from Old English: stǣġer

Cognate with Dutch: steiger

Cognate with Middle Low German: steiger

Cognate with Old English: āstǣġan

Cognate with Old English: stīġan

Cognate with German: Stiege

In summary

From Middle English steire, staire, stayre, stayer, steir, steyre, steyer, from Old English stǣġer (“stair, staircase”), from Proto-Germanic *staigriz (“stairs, scaffolding”), from Proto-Indo-European *steygʰ- (“to walk, proceed, march, climb”). Cognate with Dutch steiger (“a stair, step, wharf, pier, scaffolding”), Middle Low German steiger, steir (“scaffolding”), German Low German Steiger (“a scaffold; trestle”). Related to Old English āstǣġan (“to ascend, go up, embark”), Old English stīġan (“to go, move, reach; ascend, mount, go up, spring up, rise; scale”), German Stiege (“a flight of stairs”). More at sty.