escalator — a moving staircase consisting of an endlessly circulating belt of steps driven by a motor, conveying people between floors of a public building
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a moving staircase consisting of an endlessly circulating belt of steps driven by a motor, conveying people between floors of a public building
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈeskəleɪtər/
Example Sentences
- The mall's escalator broke down, so everyone had to use the stairs like it was the Stone Age.
- She always stands on the right side of the escalator to let people pass.
- My dog is afraid of escalators, so I have to carry him like a furry baby.
escalator
NOUN[/ˈeskəleɪtər/]
a moving staircase consisting of an endlessly circulating belt of steps driven by a motor, conveying people between floors of a public building
a mother and child step onto the bottom of a moving staircase that carries them upward automatically. The metal steps continuously emerge from the floor and rise in an endless belt motion driven by hidden machinery. As they ascend, the steps beneath them disappear back into the floor mechanism while new steps keep appearing. Other shoppers stand on various steps above and below them, all being transported between floors without walking. a moving staircase consisting of an endlessly circulating belt of steps driven by a motor, conveying people between floors of a public building
On the escalator with his calculator, unaware of the alligator!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word originated as a trademark coined by the Otis Elevator Company in the early 1900s. It combines 'escalade' (from Latin 'escalada', meaning to climb by ladder) and 'elevator' (from Latin 'elevare', meaning to lift), literally describing a mechanical staircase that lifts passengers upward.
Breakdown
escalade (from Latin 'escalada', to climb) + elevator (from Latin 'elevare', to lift or raise). The portmanteau merges the concepts of ladder-climbing and mechanical elevation to describe an automated moving staircase.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The mall's escalator broke down, so everyone had to use the stairs like it was the Stone Age.”
“She always stands on the right side of the escalator to let people pass.”
“My dog is afraid of escalators, so I have to carry him like a furry baby.”
“The department store has escalators connecting all five floors.”
📚Related Words
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