[Vocabulary] light wooden staircase

[englishhobby]

I think the word 'massive' originally derived from 'mass'. So I need the opposite of 'having a big mass'.
Here's a picture very similar to the one I have in mind (can it be called 'tiny'?):


My 16-year-old daughter suggested 'elegant'.

 

[GoesStation]

By 'light' I mean 'not large and heavy'. Am I wrong? Sometimes, even if you can't weigh an object, you can know it is very heavy (usually because it is large).

Here is a 'light' staircase as I imagine it (it doesn't look 'heavy' or 'massive'):
View attachment 3971

"Airy" would suggest a staircase that doesn't look heavy or massive. Appearances can be deceiving, of course.

The staircase in your image could be described as "airy". It could also be called a deathtrap. Stairs should absolutely never be built without rails.

 

[englishhobby]

"Airy" would suggest a staircase that doesn't look heavy or massive. Appearances can be deceiving, of course.

The staircase in your image could be described as "airy". It could also be called a deathtrap. Stairs should absolutely never be built without rails.

Thanks a lot. I will use it in my true or false exercise for students.

It could also be called a deathtrap. Stairs should absolutely never be built without rails.

I didn't think about it at that moment. But now that you've mentioned it, yes, it is really dangerous.
This one is airy and has rails (though I'd avoid using it anyway):


Now I think that the opposite of 'massive' is 'cheap'. :-D

 

[Amigos4]

Here's a picture very similar to the one I have in mind (can it be called 'tiny'?):
View attachment 3974

My 16-year-old daughter suggested 'elegant'.

Yes, I suppose it could be called 'elegant' but I don't think any real estate agent trying to sell the house would describe it as 'elegant' or 'tiny'. The staircase in front of the US Capitol could be described as "massive" and "elegant". For this home, how about using "chic", "classic", "fashionable", "contemporary", "graceful", "neat", "simple", or "stylish"? (Thesaurus)

 

[englishhobby]

I have just found 'delicate'. Perhaps, a 'delicate staircase' doesn't sound natural. At least I've got 'airy' now.

 

[englishhobby]

For this home, how about using "chic", "classic", "fashionable", "contemporary", "graceful", "neat", "simple", or "stylish"? (Thesaurus)

I wanted the opposite of 'massive' for a true or false exercise (I am a teacher). In the original text there was 'a massive staircase', so I changed 'a massive staircase' to a 'light staircase' (to make a false statement). But neither my students nor anyone on this forum understood what I meant. Then I found some pictures of a 'not massive staircase' (see them above) as I imagine it. And then GoesStation suggested the word 'airy' ('an airy staircase'). So I think I'll use that. And I like your 'simple' as well (for my purpose).

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I wanted the opposite of 'massive' for a true or false exercise (I am a teacher). In the original text there was 'a massive staircase', so I changed 'a massive staircase' to a 'light staircase' (to make a false statement). But neither my students nor anyone on this forum understood what I meant. Then I found some pictures of a 'not massive staircase' (see them above) as I imagine it. And then GoesStation suggested the word 'airy' ('an airy staircase'). So I think I'll use that. And I like your 'simple' as well (for my purpose).

There is no exact opposite for massive in that sense. Words that might somewhat describe an un-massive staircase include:

- cramped
- discreet
- flimsy
- narrow
- rickety
- short
- small

 

[englishhobby]

There is no exact opposite for massive in that sense. Words that might somewhat describe an un-massive staircase include:

- cramped
- discreet
- flimsy
- narrow
- rickety
- short
- small

I'll use 'small' for my purpose, thanks a lot. (I do not want people to fall off rickety stairs. :-D)

 

[GoesStation]

This one is airy and has rails (though I'd avoid using it anyway):
View attachment 3975

Now I think that the opposite of 'massive' is 'cheap'. :-D

Not necessarily. Some light, airy staircases are very complicated and expensive. Properly engineered, they are just as safe as massive ones.

 

[Amigos4]

I'll use 'small' for my purpose, thanks a lot. (I do not want people to fall off rickety stairs. :-D)

englishhobby, feel free to select and use any word that you like. My personal opinion is that a 13-step staircase going from the ground floor to the next level is not a 'small' staircase. Using 'airy' seems to be a better/more exciting choice. ;-)

 

[Tarheel]

Hopefully that staircase (especially the second one) is sturdier than it looks. (The word "fragile" came to mind.)