Step vs. Stairs — What's the Difference?

The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.

Stairs, a stairway, a staircase, a stairwell, or a flight of stairs is a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps. Stairs may be straight, round, or may consist of two or more straight pieces connected at angles.

A manner of walking; a particular gait.

Often stairs A series or flight of steps; a staircase.

A fixed rhythm or pace, as in marching

One of a flight of steps.

The sound of a footstep.

Plural of stair

A footprint

A contiguous set of steps connecting two floors.

The distance traversed by moving one foot ahead of the other.

A way of access consisting of a set of steps

A very short distance

Steps Course; path

One of a series of rhythmical, patterned movements of the feet used in a dance

A rest for the foot in ascending or descending.

Steps Stairs.

Something, such as a ledge or an offset, that resembles a step of a stairway.

A low platform used for exercise, as in step aerobics.

One of a series of actions, processes, or measures taken to achieve a goal.

A stage in a process

A degree in progress or a grade or rank in a scale

The interval that separates two successive tones of a scale, especially a major second, as between C and D in the scale of C major.

A degree of a scale.

(Nautical) The block in which the heel of a mast is fixed.

To put or press the foot

To shift or move slightly by taking a step or two

To walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified direction

To move with the feet in a particular manner

To move into a new situation by or as if by taking a single step

To treat someone with arrogant indifference

To put or set (the foot) down

To measure by pacing

To furnish with steps; make steps in

(Computers) To cause (a computer) to execute a single instruction.

(Nautical) To place (a mast) in its step.

An advance or movement made from one foot to the other; a pace.

A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a rung of a ladder.

The part of a spade, digging stick or similar tool that a digger's foot rests against and presses on when digging; an ear, a foot-rest.

A distinct part of a process; stage; phase.

A running board where passengers step to get on and off the bus.

The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running.

A small space or distance.

A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.

A gait; manner of walking.

Proceeding; measure; action; act.

(in the plural) A walk; passage.

(in the plural) A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.

(nautical) A framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specifically, a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

(machines) One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs.

(machines) A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves.

(music) The interval between two contiguous degrees of the scale.

(kinematics) A change of position effected by a motion of translation.

(programming) A constant difference between consecutive values in a series.

(colloquial) A stepchild.

(slang) A stepsibling.

(intransitive) To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession.

(intransitive) To walk; to go on foot; especially, to walk a little distance.

(intransitive) To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

To dance.

To move mentally; to go in imagination.

(transitive) To set, as the foot.

To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.

To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession.

To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.

To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination.

To set, as the foot.

To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.

An advance or movement made by one removal of the foot; a pace.

A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a round of a ladder.

The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running; as, one step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less. Used also figuratively of any kind of progress; as, he improved step by step, or by steps.

A small space or distance; as, it is but a step.

A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.

Gait; manner of walking; as, the approach of a man is often known by his step.

Proceeding; measure; action; an act.

Walk; passage.

A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.

In general, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs.

The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale.

A change of position effected by a motion of translation.

At Eton College, England, a shallow step dividing the court into an inner and an outer portion.

Any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal;

The distance covered by a step;

The act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down;

Support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway;

Relative position in a graded series;

A short distance;

The sound of a step of someone walking;

A musical interval of two semitones

A mark of a foot or shoe on a surface;

A solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed

A sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance;

Shift or move by taking a step;

Put down or press the foot, place the foot;

Cause (a computer) to execute a single command

Treat badly;

Furnish with steps;

Move with one's feet in a specific manner;

Walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner;

Place (a ship's mast) in its step

Measure (distances) by pacing;

Move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation;