stanchion
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to furnish with stanchions.
-
to secure by or to a stanchion or stanchions.
noun
verb
Etymology
Origin of stanchion
1375–1425; late Middle English stanchon < Old French estanchon, equivalent to estanche (variant of estance, probably < Vulgar Latin *stantia, equivalent to Latin stant- (stem of stāns ), present participle of stāre to stand + -ia -y 3 ) + -on noun suffix
Explanation
A stanchion is a post or rod used to support something. Stanchions hold things up. You can almost see the word stand in stanchion, and that should help you remember what it means. A stanchion stands straight up, and it supports a larger structure. In just about any building, you will see posts going from the floor to the ceiling: those are stanchions. Stanchions are part of many walls too. If you took the stanchions out, the building might fall down. Stanchions always go up and down; they're vertical and provide support.
Vocabulary lists containing stanchion
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Heart of Darkness
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Class Matters
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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.
That’s because it plans to run two lines simultaneously on either side of a new, shorter stanchion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025
However, even with a payment method linked, there was an issue at the stanchion, as the scanner repeatedly prompted the addition of a payment method when trying to re-enter the seating area.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2024
The debris was determined to be part of a stanchion used to mount batteries on a cargo pallet.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2024
He landed near the basket stanchion and immediately began grabbing at his left knee, while teammates reacted in obvious disbelief.
From Washington Times • Apr. 23, 2023
The ropes were slapping the mast and the boom was tangled in the stanchion ropes.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
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.
