veranda

American  

[vuh-ran-duh] / vəˈræn də /

noun

verandas plural

1. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. Also verandah. a large, open porch, usually roofed and partly enclosed, as by a railing, often extending across the front and sides of a house; gallery.

2. piazza.

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veranda British  

/ vəˈrændə /

noun

1. a porch or portico, sometimes partly enclosed, along the outside of a building

2. a canopy sheltering pedestrians in a shopping street

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• verandaed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• verandas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of veranda

1705–15; < Hindi baraṇḍā, barāmdā < Persian bar āmadaḥ coming out (unless the Hindi word is < Portuguese varanda, Spanish baranda railing, balustrade; cf. bar ¹)

Compare meaning

How does veranda compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• veranda vs. balcony

Explanation

If you're lazing around on a long, airy porch that runs along the outside of your house, you are on a veranda. The word veranda likely derived from the Portuguese word varanda, meaning "long balcony or terrace." Extending along the outside of a building, this architectural structure has a roof and usually opens up to the outside. A veranda is a common feature on houses at a beach resort or in other warm climates. They provide shade but still allow you to sit outside and enjoy the scenery. You might have a party on your veranda in the summer.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

veranda verandas

The men sit on rugs beneath the wide boughs of a tree, while two women sit on mats in the shade of a nearby veranda, as goats and chickens roam the compound.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2025

Outside, residents can enjoy the warm New Orleans weather while lounging on the covered veranda or soaking in the saltwater pool.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2025

The two-story Wawona Hotel, nearly encircled by a Spanish-style veranda, has 50 standard rooms with private bathrooms and 54 additional rooms with shared restrooms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2024

The agency published a video in which it showed security officials detaining a man in jeans and a black shirt who was sitting at a veranda outside a restaurant in central Moscow.

From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

On the fifth day, when I walked out onto the veranda without stumbling, Mother cried and said, “It’s a miracle. An absolute miracle.”

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Today, it also runs a restaurant and hotel with six guest rooms in the main house and five modern cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows opening to private verandas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

Soldiers were still securing the streets of the kibbutz, once neatly lined with palm trees, banana plants and single-storey houses with verandas.

From Reuters ● Oct. 10, 2023

Streets leading from the train to the track are decked out with orange bunting and many of the residents have set up makeshift bars, providing tunes and cold drinks from their verandas.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023

The colonial-era structure was a staggering sight, with airy verandas, plush living rooms and spacious bedrooms, a garden swimming pool and neatly manicured lawns.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 11, 2022

This spring was a fire without thrift in the grand literature of the seasons the Meecham family had watched from their verandas.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• balcony
• patio
• piazza
• platform
• portico
• stoop
• terrace