Lifter vs. Elevator: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 29, 2023
Lifter refers to a device, person, or mechanism that lifts something, while an elevator is a specific type of lifting device used to move people or goods vertically. Both serve to elevate but differ in application and specificity.
Key Differences
A lifter is a broad term that can refer to various types of devices, machines, or even people that lift objects from one level to another. An elevator, on the other hand, is a specialized form of a lifter designed specifically to transport people or goods vertically between floors of a building. In essence, an elevator is a type of lifter, but not all lifters are elevators.
The word "lifter" doesn't necessarily indicate any standard design or operation; it could mean a hydraulic lift, a forklift, or even someone lifting weights at the gym. Elevators have a more standardized design, often consisting of a cabin or platform, guide rails, and a motor, and they are intended for the specific task of vertical transportation.
While lifters can operate in various orientations and might involve manual, mechanical, or hydraulic mechanisms, elevators generally operate on electric or hydraulic systems and move only in a vertical direction. In summary, the term "lifter" is more general and can apply to various methods of raising something, whereas "elevator" refers to a specific device that moves people or items between different levels of a building.
Lifters can be temporary and portable, like a mobile crane used in construction. Elevators are generally permanent fixtures installed in buildings. Both serve the purpose of making lifting more efficient, but while lifters can have various applications, elevators are primarily used to improve accessibility and ease of movement within structures.
Comparison Chart
Scope
General term for lifting device
Specific type of lifting device
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Operation
Manual, mechanical, or hydraulic
Usually electric or hydraulic
Direction
Can be multi-directional
Primarily vertical
Design
Varies widely
Standardized
Portability
Can be portable
Generally fixed
Lifter and Elevator Definitions
Lifter
A person who lifts heavy objects as a job
The lifter moved the piano effortlessly.
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Elevator
A machine for lifting grain into a silo
The farm's elevator was busy during harvest season.
Lifter
A device for lifting car engines
The automotive lifter made the repair job much easier.
Elevator
A control surface on an aircraft
The pilot adjusted the elevator for ascent.
Lifter
A mechanism in a gym for weightlifting
She set a new record on the lifter today.
Elevator
A shoe insert for increasing height
He wore an elevator in his shoes to appear taller.
Lifter
A hydraulic lift used in warehouses
The lifter helped stack the crates high.
Elevator
A device for moving people between floors in a building
The elevator took us to the 10th floor.
Lifter
A term for someone who steals by lifting items
The lifter was caught by security.
Elevator
A surgical tool for lifting tissue
The surgeon used an elevator during the procedure.
Lifter
To direct or carry from a lower to a higher position; raise
Lift one's eyes.
Lifted the suitcase.
Elevator
A platform or an enclosure raised and lowered in a vertical shaft to transport people or freight.
Lifter
To transport by air
The helicopter lifted the entire team to the meet.
Elevator
The enclosure or platform with its operating equipment, motor, cables, and accessories.
Lifter
To revoke by taking back; rescind
Lifted the embargo.
Elevator
A movable control surface, usually attached to the horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft, that is used to produce motion up or down.
Lifter
To bring an end to (a blockade or siege) by removing forces.
Elevator
A mechanism, often with buckets or scoops attached to a conveyor, used for hoisting materials.
Lifter
To cease (artillery fire) in an area.
Elevator
See grain elevator.
Lifter
To raise in condition, rank, or esteem
Work that lifted her in the eyes of her colleagues.
Elevator
Anything that raises or uplifts.
Lifter
To uplift; elate
Your telephone call really lifted my spirits.
Elevator
A permanent construction with a built-in platform or cab that can be raised and lowered, used to transport people and goods, as between different floors of a building.
Lifter
To remove (plants) from the ground for transplanting.
Elevator
A silo used for storing wheat, corn or other grain (grain elevator).
Lifter
To project or sound in loud, clear tones
Lifted their voices in song.
Elevator
(aeronautics) A control surface of an aircraft responsible for controlling the pitching motion of the machine.
Lifter
(Informal) To steal; pilfer
A thief lifted my wallet.
Elevator
A dental instrument used to pry up ("elevate") teeth in difficult extractions, or depressed portions of bone.
Lifter
(Informal) To copy from something already published; plagiarize
Lifted whole paragraphs from the encyclopedia.
Elevator
(anatomy) Any muscle that serves to raise a part of the body, such as the leg or the eye.
Lifter
To pay off or clear (a debt or mortgage, for example).
Elevator
A type of shoe having an insert lift to make the wearer appear taller.
Lifter
To perform cosmetic surgery on (the face, for example), especially in order to remove wrinkles or sagging skin.
Elevator
One who, or that which, raises or lifts up anything.
Lifter
(Sports) To hit (a golf ball) very high into the air.
Elevator
A mechanical contrivance, usually an endless belt or chain with a series of scoops or buckets, for transferring grain to an upper loft for storage.
Lifter
To pick up (a golf ball) to place it in a better lie.
Elevator
A cage or platform (called an elevator car) and the hoisting machinery in a hotel, warehouse, mine, etc., for conveying persons, goods, etc., to or from different floors or levels; - called in England a lift; the cage or platform itself.
Lifter
To shoot or flip (a puck) so that it rises sharply off the ice.
Elevator
A building for elevating, storing, and discharging, grain.
Lifter
To rise; ascend.
Elevator
A muscle which serves to raise a part of the body, as the leg or the eye.
Lifter
To yield to upward pressure
These windows lift easily.
Elevator
An instrument for raising a depressed portion of a bone.
Lifter
To disappear or disperse by or as if by rising
By afternoon the smog had lifted.
Elevator
A movable plane or group of planes used to control the altitude or fore-and-aft poise or inclination of an airship or flying machine.
Lifter
To stop temporarily
The rain lifted by morning.
Elevator
Lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building
Lifter
To become elevated; soar
Their spirits lifted when help came.
Elevator
The airfoil on the tailplane of an aircraft that makes it ascend or descend
Lifter
The act or process of rising or raising to a higher position.
Lifter
Power or force available for raising
The lift of a pump.
Lifter
An organized effort or a flight transporting supplies or people by airplane; an airlift.
Lifter
The extent or height to which something is raised or rises; the amount of elevation.
Lifter
The distance or space through which something is raised or rises.
Lifter
A rise or an elevation in the level of the ground.
Lifter
An elevation of the spirits
The good news gave us a lift.
Lifter
A raised, high, or erect position, as of a part of the body
The lift of his chin.
Lifter
A machine or device designed to pick up, raise, or carry something.
Lifter
One of the layers of leather, rubber, or other material making up the heel of a shoe.
Lifter
Chiefly British A passenger or cargo elevator.
Lifter
A ride in a vehicle given to help someone reach a destination
Gave my friend a lift into town.
Lifter
Assistance or help
Gave her a lift with her heavy packages.
Lifter
A set of pumps used in a mine.
Lifter
The component of the total aerodynamic force acting on an airfoil or on an entire aircraft or winged missile perpendicular to the relative wind and normally exerted in an upward direction, opposing the pull of gravity.
Lifter
Someone or something that lifts or assists in lifting.
Lifter
(weightlifting) A weightlifter.
Lifter
(cricket) A delivery that bounces well off the pitch.
Lifter
A spatula.
Lifter
A thief.
Lifter
An ionocraft.
Lifter
(signal processing) A filter that operates on a cepstrum.
Lifter
One who, or that which, lifts.
Lifter
A tool for lifting loose sand from the mold; also, a contrivance attached to a cope, to hold the sand together when the cope is lifted.
Lifter
An athlete who lifts barbells
Lifter
A thief who steals goods that are in a store
FAQs
What is an Elevator?
An elevator is a specialized device for moving people or goods vertically.
What is a Lifter?
A lifter is a general term for any device, machine, or person that lifts objects.
Is an Elevator always electric?
No, elevators can also operate on hydraulic systems.
What kinds of things can a Lifter lift?
A lifter can lift various objects, from cars to crates to weights.
Are all Lifters portable?
No, some lifters like cranes can be fixed installations.
Can a Lifter be human?
Yes, the term "lifter" can apply to humans, like weightlifters.
Is an Elevator a type of Lifter?
Yes, an elevator is a type of lifter specialized for vertical movement.
Can Elevators move horizontally?
Traditional elevators move vertically, but some modern designs can move horizontally.
What are Elevator shoes?
They are shoes with an insert designed to increase the wearer's height.
Is an Elevator only for buildings?
Primarily, but there are specialized elevators for other uses like grain silos.
How do Lifters work in gyms?
These are usually weightlifting machines that assist in lifting weights.
Are Elevators safe?
When properly maintained, elevators are generally safe.
Is an Elevator a luxury?
While once considered a luxury, elevators are now common and even necessary in many settings.
What is a car engine Lifter?
It is a specialized lifter for raising and lowering car engines.
Can a Lifter be a machine?
Yes, many lifters are machines like forklifts or hydraulic lifts.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
