baluster

English

Different types of baluster

Alternative forms

• balustre (Commonwealth)

Etymology

French balustre, from Italian balaustro (“pillar”), from balausta (“wild pomegranate flower”), so named because of resemblance to the swelling form of the half-open flower, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion), from Semitic (compare Aramaic balatz 'wild pomegranate flower').

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbæl.ʌ.stɹ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

baluster (plural balusters)

1. (architecture)  A short column used in a group to support a rail, as commonly found on the side of a stairway; a banister.
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess^[1]:

     Sepia Delft tiles surrounded the fireplace, their crudely drawn Biblical scenes in faded cyclamen blending with the pinkish pine, while above them, instead of a mantelshelf, there was an archway high enough to form a balcony with slender balusters and a tapestry-hung wall behind.

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty, Bloomsbury, 2005, Chapter 17 (i),

     Nick looked at the floor, and at the rhythm of the black-and-gilt S-shaped balusters.

Synonyms

• banister

Related terms

• balustrade

Translations

banister

• Armenian: ճաղ (hy) (čał)
• Catalan: balustre m
• French: balustre (fr) f
• Georgian: რიკული (ka) (riḳuli)
• Icelandic: rimill m, pílári í handriði m, brjóstriðssúla f, speli m, spæll m
• Ido: balustrado (io)

• Italian: balaustra (it)
• Polish: tralka (pl) f, balas (pl) m, balaska f
• Romanian: balustru (ro) m
• Russian: баля́сина (ru) f (baljásina)
• Ukrainian: баля́сина (uk) f (baljásyna)

Anagrams

• Albertus, Breaults, balustre, bluestar, rustable