Elevator

/ˈɛlɪveɪtər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A platform or compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering people or things to different floors or levels.

We took the elevator to the top floor of the building.

A mechanical device that moves goods or people between floors in a building.

The hospital has a special elevator for transporting patients.

A structure or machine used to lift grain or other bulk materials.

The farmer stored the harvest in the grain elevator.

Late 19th century: from Latin elevare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + levare ‘to lift’.

elevator pitch:

A brief, persuasive speech that you can use to spark interest in what you or your organization does.

up the elevator:

To rise in rank or status.

going down the elevator:

To lose rank or status.

Elevator music

People often refer to soft instrumental music played in elevators as elevator music.

Up and down like an elevator

His mood swings were so severe, it was like he was up and down like an elevator.