Escalators are a common sight in busy public places such as shopping centres, airports, and train stations. They are often used to move large numbers of people between different floors of a building quickly and efficiently. Some synonyms for the word escalator include moving staircase, automated stairs, motorized stairs, inclinators, and travelators. Moving staircase and motorized stairs both describe the way that the escalator functions, while inclinators and travelators both emphasise the convenience of the escalator in transporting people vertically. Whatever the word used, escalators are an essential part of modern architecture and are likely to remain a feature of public spaces for many years to come.