veranda

American  

[vuh-ran-duh] / vəˈræn də /

noun

• verandas
  plural

1. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. Also verandah. a large, open porch, usually roofed and partly enclosed, as by a railing, often extending across the front and sides of a house; gallery.

2. piazza.

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veranda British  

/ vəˈrændə /

noun

1. a porch or portico, sometimes partly enclosed, along the outside of a building

2. a canopy sheltering pedestrians in a shopping street

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• verandaed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• verandas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of veranda

1705–15; < Hindi baraṇḍā, barāmdā < Persian bar āmadaḥ coming out (unless the Hindi word is < Portuguese varanda, Spanish baranda railing, balustrade; cf. bar ¹)

Compare meaning

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

• veranda vs. balcony

Explanation

If you're lazing around on a long, airy porch that runs along the outside of your house, you are on a veranda. The word veranda likely derived from the Portuguese word varanda, meaning "long balcony or terrace." Extending along the outside of a building, this architectural structure has a roof and usually opens up to the outside. A veranda is a common feature on houses at a beach resort or in other warm climates. They provide shade but still allow you to sit outside and enjoy the scenery. You might have a party on your veranda in the summer.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

veranda verandas

"We've got what looks to be a corridor villa with two wings and a veranda running along the front," he explained.

From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2026

When the dust settles, a small, pink rectangular building with veranda posts appears at the venue’s west end, a disco ball hanging on its porch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2025

Outside, residents can enjoy the warm New Orleans weather while lounging on the covered veranda or soaking in the saltwater pool.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2025

But he said he was shaken by what occurred later after he accidently let Spacey’s dog out of the house while returning from smoking on the veranda.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 4, 2023

Olanna sat on the veranda until past midnight, resting her head against the wall.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Today, it also runs a restaurant and hotel with six guest rooms in the main house and five modern cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows opening to private verandas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

Soldiers were still securing the streets of the kibbutz, once neatly lined with palm trees, banana plants and single-storey houses with verandas.

From Reuters ● Oct. 10, 2023

It’s wrapped in verandas and shaded by a gnarly 300-year-old pine tree.

From New York Times ● Sep. 25, 2022

It is an imposing piece of colonial-type architecture that contains several verandas, meeting rooms and living areas, a swimming pool and a huge lawn.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2022

Many of these old brick and stone houses, with their tin-roofed verandas, still stood in Sophiatown, giving the township an air of Old World graciousness.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• balcony
• patio
• piazza
• platform
• portico
• stoop
• terrace