balustrade

American  

[bal-uh-streyd, bal-uh-streyd] / ˈbæl əˌstreɪd, ˌbæl əˈstreɪd /

noun

Architecture.

1. a railing with supporting balusters.

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balustrade British  

/ ˈbæləˌstreɪd /

noun

1. an ornamental rail or coping with its supporting set of balusters

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Other Word Forms

• balustraded adjective

Etymology

Origin of balustrade

1635–45; < French balustre baluster + -ade -ade ¹; compare Spanish balaustrada, Italian balaustrata

Explanation

A balustrade is a row of spindles that support a railing. You're especially likely to notice balustrades on balconies or bridges. A small wooden or stone pillar or column is a baluster, like the balusters that support a stairway railing. A whole row of balusters lined up together comprise a balustrade. Balustrade is a French word that's rooted in the Italian balausta, "flower of the wild pomegranate," which has a double-curved stem shaped like a baluster.

Example Sentences

A bridge across the park will be rebuilt, with a glass balustrade that will evoke a royal tiara.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

A plush, red velvet fauteuil tucked into the lower right corner of the picture is like an upscale launching pad, which has propelled the man to the balustrade along a tall French window.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025

The company was filming the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet” on the Wave Hill estate in the Bronx, where lush gardens and a rustic stone balustrade offered a graceful site.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2021

For Casaus, this often involves stacking visually distinct levels of, say, prickly cactuses and wispy flowering bushes, or branchy ornamental trees and soft grasses, against a balustrade or facade.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2019

Victor bent over the balustrade and suddenly felt distinctly nauseous when he saw the drop below.

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke