escalator

1 of 2

noun

es·​ca·​la·​tor ˈe-skə-ˌlā-tər 

nonstandard

-skyə- 

1

a

: a power-driven set of stairs arranged like an endless belt that ascend or descend continuously

b

: an upward course suggestive of an escalator

… a never-stopping escalator of economic progress.

—D. W. Brogan

2

: an escalator clause or provision

escalator

2 of 2

adjective

: providing for a periodic proportional upward or downward adjustment (as of prices or wages)

… an escalator arrangement tying the base pay … to living costs …

—New York Times

Examples of escalator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

April 25, 2026 Less than a week after making his major-league debut on April 3, the shortstop signed a team-record nine-year extension that league sources confirmed to The Athletic is for $140 million and could be worth up to $150 million with performance escalators. —The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

Whatever the issue’s current valence among the electorate, that so many high-ranking Democrats have taken it up hints at a profound, if not yet fully realized, break with the Party’s politics dating back to that escalator ride, and perhaps further still. —Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026

An escalator by the entrance will transport guests to the experiences below. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026

This comes after a long outage for the descending escalator back in 2023. —Elle McLogan, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Escalator, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1930, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for escalator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

escalator

noun

es·​ca·​la·​tor

ˈes-kə-ˌlāt-ər

: a moving set of stairs arranged like a continuous belt