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Added 9 October 2026

ladder

/ˈlad.ə/ noun

In Latin: scāla Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ladder at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down.
Ascending stages by which somebody or something can progress.
he climbed the career ladder
A row of unravelled stitches.
she got a run in her stocking

verb

Come unraveled or undone as if by snagging.
Her nylons were running

Origin

Inherited from Middle English ladder, laddre; from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlóydʰrom, from *ḱley- (“to lean”). Compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, German Leiter; also Old Irish clithar (“hedge”), and Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌 (kleθram, “stretcher”). See lean, which is related to lid. Further cognates include Ashkun istrī, Kamkata-viri c̣ik, Prasuni čik, čix; Waigali c̣iř, Sanskrit श्रिति (śrití).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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