veranda
Americannoun
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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.
noun
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a porch or portico, sometimes partly enclosed, along the outside of a building
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a canopy sheltering pedestrians in a shopping street
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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)
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How does veranda compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing veranda
I Am Malala
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"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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.
He will not be sitting on his veranda anytime soon.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
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
The two-story Wawona Hotel, nearly encircled by a Spanish-style veranda, has 50 standard rooms with private bathrooms and 54 additional rooms with shared restrooms.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024
Mr. Hardouin said that a small wall had stopped the car before it reached the house’s veranda, and that only the front gate and the family’s car had been affected.
From New York Times • Jul. 2, 2023
He and the man from Asaba talked in low voices as if they alone were responsible for her, and afterward he came up to where Olanna was sitting on the veranda.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
