banisters

British

/ ˈbænɪstəz /

plural noun

the railing and supporting balusters on a staircase; balustrade

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of banisters

C17: altered from _baluster

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.

Along the banisters were motion-activated lights - one wrong step and they would flare on, announcing their presence.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Fans crammed shoulder‑to‑shoulder against the banisters and barricades, stretching jerseys, bobbleheads and posters toward her for autographs.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

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

Bunting, usually reserved for opening day, hung from the banisters.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2021

And after that he went downstairs, kicking the banisters with his feet—a thing he knew he should not do as it waked up everybody else in the house.

From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023