banister
Americannoun
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banisters
plural
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a baluster.
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Sometimes banisters. the balustrade of a staircase.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of banister
First recorded in 1660–70; apparently by dissimilation from earlier barrister, alteration of baluster, perhaps by association with bar 1
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How does banister compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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 velvety silhouette feels as distant as the sea, whose dark surface is sliced by the banister.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
She can now ride her bike again and walk up stairs "without hanging on to the banister".
From BBC ● May 22, 2025
“And then literally at the same time, on another channel, there was Jamie,” he recalled in an interview last week, “this floppy-haired Essex boy, sliding down the banister doing one-pot wonders.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2024
There were icicle lights outside their rural Georgia home, garland on the banister and stockings hanging above the fireplace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 21, 2023
He moves next to me and drums his fingers at the banister.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Along the banisters were motion-activated lights - one wrong step and they would flare on, announcing their presence.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
Examples include the front door, mantle, archways, stair banisters, central tables or kitchen islands and windows.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 1, 2023
Marion says her rule of thumb for banisters or stairs is to measure the length, then add 50 percent; so, if your banister is 12 feet long, add six and order 18 feet of garland.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 1, 2022
CAPABLE, deploying its multi-specialty team and a modest budget of $1,300 per household for repairs, equipment and installation, offers low-income residents not only bathroom equipment but also kitchen grabbers, well-anchored banisters and other useful articles.
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2021
Mister Singer sat on the banisters of the porch and he was the only person who kept calm.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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.
