Definition

1. Noun:
   • A railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling: A "banister" is a structure consisting of a handrail and its supporting posts (balusters) that runs along the side of a staircase or the edge of a balcony, providing support and safety.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • She held onto the wooden banister as she walked down the steep stairs.
  • The children were not allowed to slide down the banister.
  • He leaned against the banister of the balcony to look at the view.

Advanced Usage

• "To slide down the banister": A common phrase describing the playful, often forbidden, act of sliding down a staircase railing.
  • As a child, he loved to slide down the banister when no one was looking.

Variants and Related Words

• Bannister: An alternative, common spelling of "banister."
• Handrail: A more general term for a rail designed to be grasped for support, which is the top part of a banister.
• Baluster: One of the vertical posts that supports the handrail of a banister.
• Balustrade: A more formal term for a complete railing system, especially on a balcony or terrace, which includes the banister, handrail, and supporting posts.

Synonyms

• Rail: A bar extending between supports, used as a guard or for support.
• Guardrail: A rail preventing people from falling off or into something.

Notes on Meaning

• The word "banister" is often used interchangeably with "handrail," though technically, the handrail is the part you hold, while the banister includes the entire supporting structure (handrail and balusters).
• It is commonly used in the plural form "banisters" to refer to the entire railing structure on one or both sides of a staircase.

Noun

1. a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling