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
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:
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.
Not only is the stately penthouse the 42-year-old entrepreneur’s home, it’s also headquarters for her fourth startup, Lola & Veranda, a luxury organic bedding subscription service she co-founded.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2025
When we visited the Veranda restaurant in Karon at lunchtime, with its large plastic bear statue welcoming us at the door, there were just two tables occupied.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2022
Now, George Mendes, the chef and an owner of Veranda in SoHo, whose roots are Portuguese, is baking the treats, also known as pastéis de nata; they’re available to order only for pick up.
From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2022
For Veranda Camire, who took a diction class in the 1970s to lose her thick Kentucky accent, the course was “one of the best things I ever did.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 24, 2021
He found the Veranda Cafe, its walls painted with Venetian scenes and featuring a large elliptical dance floor.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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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.