banister
|ban-is-ter|
🇺🇸
/ˈbænɪstər/
🇬🇧
/ˈbænɪstə/
stair handrail
Etymology
'banister' originates from Italian (via French and Middle English), specifically the Italian word 'balaustra', where 'balaustra' meant 'pomegranate blossom' (the shape of the baluster).
'banister' changed from Old French/Italian words for 'baluster' (Italian 'balaustra' and French 'balustre'), entered Middle English in forms such as 'banister'/'banester', and eventually became the modern English 'banister' (also spelled 'bannister').
Initially it referred specifically to a 'baluster' or the turned vertical support; over time it broadened to mean the handrail itself or the entire stair-rail assembly.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a handrail fixed along a staircase for people to hold on to.
She gripped the banister as she climbed the stairs.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the whole assembly of a stair rail, often including the rail and its supporting uprights (balusters) — i.e., a balustrade.
The old house still had an ornate wooden banister and carved newel posts.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/11 18:12