What does chairlift mean?
A chairlift is a type of aerial lift used chiefly at ski resorts to carry passengers up a mountainside. It consists of a continuously circulating loop of steel cable strung between tall towers, from which a series of chairs hangs; riders board at the base, are lifted steadily uphill, and disembark at the top without the lift ever stopping. The word combines 'chair' and 'lift' and entered English in the early twentieth century as mechanised ski transport developed. Chairlifts range from slow two-seaters to fast detachable quads and six-packs that can move thousands of people per hour. Beyond skiing, they serve hikers and sightseers at mountain attractions, offering access to summits otherwise reachable only on foot. Familiar, functional, and largely free of connotation, the term appears constantly in travel writing, resort marketing, and news coverage of mountain sports.
nounAn overhead conveyor consisting of a continuously moving cable with chairs attached, used to carry skiers and hikers up a mountain slope.
- A ski lift consisting of an endless circulating cable with suspended chairs that carry passengers (typically skiers) uphill.
- By extension, any similar chair-suspended cable transport used at scenic attractions or amusement areas.
"The chairlift carried us smoothly to the summit in under ten minutes."
"We queued for twenty minutes to board the chairlift at the base of the mountain."
"In summer, the resort's chairlift carries sightseers up for panoramic views of the valley."
Regular plural; commonly used when discussing multiple lifts at a resort or across different locations.
"The resort operates fourteen chairlifts across its three peaks."
The first chairlift was built in Sun Valley, Idaho in 1936 — inspired by banana-loading conveyors used on fruit ships.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chairlift
Chairlift is a straightforward English compound of 'chair' (from Old French 'chaiere', ultimately Latin 'cathedra', meaning seat) and 'lift' (from the Norse-derived verb meaning to raise). The compound arose in the 1930s alongside the invention of the modern ski lift itself, first appearing in American usage as resorts such as Sun Valley introduced mechanical uphill transport. It belongs to the same family of compounds as 'skilift' and 'cable car'.
How chairlift is actually used
A neutral, common term in skiing contexts worldwide. 'Chair' alone is frequent shorthand among skiers ('Let's catch the quad'). Terms like 'quad', 'six-pack', or 'high-speed detachable' describe specific chairlift types.
Easily confused with chairlift
A gondola is an enclosed cabin lift carrying passengers inside, whereas a chairlift has open seats suspended from an overhead cable.
A T-bar lift pulls standing skiers along the ground via a tow bar, while a chairlift carries seated passengers above the snow.