/es"keuh lay'teuhr/ , n.
1. Also called moving staircase, moving stairway . a continuously moving stairway on an endless loop for carrying passengers up or down.
2. a means of rising or descending, increasing or decreasing, etc., esp. by stages: the social escalator.
3. See escalator clause .
adj.
4. of, pertaining to, or included in an escalator clause: The union demands escalator protection of wages.
[ 1895-1900, Amer.; formerly a trademark; perh. ESCAL(ADE) + (ELEV)ATOR ]