balcony
Americannoun
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balconies
plural
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a balustraded or railed elevated platform projecting from the wall of a building.
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a gallery in a theater.
noun
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a platform projecting from the wall of a building with a balustrade or railing along its outer edge, often with access from a door or window
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a gallery in a theatre or auditorium, above the dress circle
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any circle or gallery in a theatre or auditorium including the dress circle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of balcony
1610–20; < Italian balcone balcony, floor-length window < Langobardic (compare Old High German balc ( h ) o, accusative singular balcon beam; see balk); sense extended from the beam over an aperture to the aperture itself
Compare meaning
How does balcony compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A balcony is a porch or platform that extends from an upper floor of a building. Your apartment might have a balcony with a view of a city park. Most balconies have railings around them to protect people from tumbling off, and many balconies provide an interesting view. You might linger on the balcony of your hotel room in Hawaii, enjoying the warm air and the distant glimpse of the ocean it gives you. Balcony comes from the Italian balcone, which in turn comes from balcone, or "scaffold." The root is most likely Germanic, possibly related to the Old English balca, "beam or ridge."
Vocabulary lists containing balcony
Words Whose Pronunciation Has Changed Over Time
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Theater - Introductory
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Theater - Middle School
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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.
See Examples For:
The minor fell from a balcony at Benjamin Franklin High School, police said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania are pictured alongside Xi on the front page of the Times, standing on the White House balcony after a military show.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The primary suite has access to a private balcony, a built-in tub, and a separate shower.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Loui Ridi keeps watch from his balcony on a pair of dusty camper vans parked a stone’s throw from his yard, bracing for the next attack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Hawk, more than anyone else in the theater, was in the best position to hear the shot and see Booth climb onto the balcony.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
They are significantly cheaper than roof panels, can be installed without an electrician and are suitable for properties with outdoor space, including some balconies.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The seven-sided abode features an interior court, private balconies, a catering-style kitchen with light gray cabinets and a dining nook, and a living room accompanied by glass walls and light-wood floors.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Stacked balconies on surrounding apartment buildings are packed with celebrants, drinks, fireworks scorecards.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
The $5,000 suites, which accommodate four people, are decked out like hotel rooms with showers, balconies, minibars without price sheets, snacks galore and a drawer of Apple charging accessories free for the taking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Gogol is accustomed to the scenery, yet he still stares, at the short, dark men pulling rickshaws and the crumbling buildings side by side with fretwork balconies, hammers and sickles painted on their facades.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
