elevator

noun

el·​e·​va·​tor ˈe-lə-ˌvā-tər How to pronounce elevator (audio)
1
: one that raises or lifts something up: such as
a
: an endless belt or chain conveyor with cleats, scoops, or buckets for raising material
b
: a cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for conveying people or things to different levels
c
: grain elevator
2
: a movable airfoil usually attached to the tailplane of an airplane for controlling pitch see airplane illustration

Examples of elevator in a Sentence

We took the elevator to the 10th floor.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Accessibility Offering dedicated rooms for those with limited mobility, elevator access to all floors, and specialized light indicators on room numbers and in-room telephones, the property prides itself on being accessibility-friendly. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026 Some of the areas include the combat information center, message center (radio central), forward main engine room, boiler room, aircraft elevator machinery room, arresting gear engine room and more. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 Senior facility's elevator is out of order But for Procaccini and her friend and neighbor, Carol Kenney, the biggest concern is the building's elevator, which Procaccini said has remained out of service since the lightning strike. — Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Consider a scene that played out recently… An elevator fails at a train station, a wheelchair user waits, then films the staff attempting to haul her chair up the stairs. — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elevator

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elevator was in 1646

Phrases Containing elevator

Rhymes for elevator

See All Rhymes for elevator

Browse Nearby Words

elevato
elevator
elevator dredge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elevator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elevator. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

elevator

noun
el·​e·​va·​tor ˈel-ə-ˌvāt-ər How to pronounce elevator (audio)
1
a
: a continuous belt or chain conveyor for raising material
b
: a cage or platform and its hoisting machinery for carrying things or people to different levels
c
: a building for elevating, storing, unloading, and sometimes grinding grain

called also grain elevator

2
: a movable device shaped like a wing that is usually attached to the tail of an airplane for producing motion up or down

Medical Definition

elevator

noun
el·​e·​va·​tor ˈel-ə-ˌvāt-ər How to pronounce elevator (audio)
1
: a dental instrument for removing teeth or the roots of teeth which cannot be gripped with a forceps
2
: a surgical instrument for raising a depressed part (as a bone) or for separating contiguous parts

More from Merriam-Webster on elevator

Nglish: Translation of elevator for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elevator

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All