A staircase that runs parallel to another staircase but in the opposite direction, often found in large buildings.
From counter- + flight (Old English flyht, referring to a series of steps). This architectural term became formalized in the 18th-19th centuries.
Grand Victorian mansions often had counterflights so servants could move up while family members moved down without meeting—two separate staircases side-by-side created an invisible class divide.
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