balcony

American  

[bal-kuh-nee] / ˈbæl kə ni /

noun

• balconies
  plural

1. a balustraded or railed elevated platform projecting from the wall of a building.

2. a gallery in a theater.

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balcony British  

/ ˈbælkənɪ /

noun

1. 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

2. a gallery in a theatre or auditorium, above the dress circle

3. any circle or gallery in a theatre or auditorium including the dress circle

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• balconied
  adjective
• unbalconied
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• balconies
  plural

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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

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Compare meaning

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

• veranda vs. balcony
• mezzanine vs. balcony

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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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

balcony balconies

Leo's thoughts, upon being elected pope in May 2025, were immediately with his "beloved diocese of Chiclayo," which earned a special mention in his first public address from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

A balcony had broken off and hung at a 30-degree angle toward the water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Alongside the world's media, a few hundred fans filled the balcony above and quickly made their allegiance known as "Oh Anthony Joshua" rang around the British Airways ARC.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

A balcony from which to view the mayhem at the tills below?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The balcony door is open, as always, to let in the air, and I can hear the distant echo of the waves.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

The “Falstaffian” Gato stars in many of the book’s short, thoughtful chapters, now listening to Maria Callas on the stereo, now executing a death-defying stroll between adjacent balconies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

“It has none of those elements one sees so often: festivals of wrought iron, little Juliet balconies, guitars strumming in every corner,” he recalled in his 1998 interview.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Tenants have been threatened with eviction for hanging signs outside their balconies calling attention to the utility billing method.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Stacked balconies on surrounding apartment buildings are packed with celebrants, drinks, fireworks scorecards.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Along a three-and-a-half-mile stretch of Fifth Avenue, the flag-bedecked buildings with flat roofs, balconies, and fire escapes were stuffed with sweating spectators.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

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Related Words

• box
• gallery
• mezzanine
• platform
• porch
• stoop
• terrace
• veranda

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