stoop

A stoop is a term with several related meanings in architecture, language, and culture. In architectural usage, a stoop is a small staircase and landing that provides access from the street to a doorway, typically featuring steps, a platform, and sometimes a railing. Stoops are a common feature of urban and older domestic architecture, especially in areas where houses sit close to the sidewalk. They can function as a social space, a practical entry, or an architectural accent, and in some regions a stoop may be integral to the entry sequence rather than a separate porch.

As a verb, to stoop means to bend the upper body forward and downward, usually from the waist. It describes a physical action, such as stooping to tie a shoe, or to lower oneself physically when approaching an obstacle. The construction stoop is extended in phrases like “stoop to” when indicating a lowering of standards or behavior, as in “stooping to insults.”

In falconry and related hunting language, a stoop refers to the steep, rapid dive a bird of prey makes toward its quarry. This specialized meaning conveys a precise moment of motion rather than a static posture.

The word also appears in figurative usage to express humility, deference, or a temporary lowering of oneself in social interaction. Across its senses, stoop reflects a shift in posture, either physical or figurative, from an upright stance to a forward bend or lower stance.