banquette
Americannoun
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a long bench with an upholstered seat, especially one along a wall, as in a restaurant.
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an embankment for buttressing the base of a levee and forming a berm.
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Chiefly Coastal Louisiana and East Texas. a sidewalk, especially a raised one of bricks or planks.
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Fortification. a platform or step along the inside of a parapet, for soldiers to stand on when firing.
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a ledge running across the back of a buffet.
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a bench for passengers on top of a stagecoach.
noun
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an upholstered bench
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(formerly) a raised part behind a parapet
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a footbridge
Etymology
Origin of banquette
1620–30; < French < Provençal banqueta, equivalent to banc bench ( see bank 3) + -eta -ette
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The maître d’ escorted us to a banquette near a window facing northeast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Seated at a banquette table in the back of the restaurant, the pair ordered two entrees, drinks, and appetizers, totaling $371.55, and at some point during the meal, Eatherly began livestreaming.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
The build also has an attractive, built-in banquette in the living room, a front deck, and charming outdoor seating areas.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
His co-star Daniel Radcliffe and Mr. Radcliffe’s longtime girlfriend, the actress Erin Darke, watched from their perch on a banquette as they greeted well-wishers.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2024
Freckles shifts on the banquette and sets his phone aside.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
