banquette

See also: banquet

English

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Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.

Proto-Germanic *bankiz

Proto-West Germanic *banki

Lombardic bankbor.

Italian banca

Proto-Indo-European *-tós

Proto-Italic *-tosder.?

Late Latin -ittus

Italian -etta

Italian banchettabor.

French banquettebor.

English banquette

Borrowed from French banquette, the diminutive form of banc; by surface analysis, bank +‎ -ette.

banquette (plural banquettes)

(military) A narrow area behind a defensive wall's parapet elevated above its terreplein and used by defenders to shoot at attackers.
A bench built into a wall, especially (military) one built into a wall of a defensive trench, used for sitting and for shooting at attackers.
An upholstered bench, e.g., along a wall of a restaurant or lounge area.
- 2017, Fiona Lewis, Mistakes Were Made (Some in French), Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 165:
  Stoned, she would traipse in, overtly sexual in last night's dress, and throw herself exhausted across the banquette.
(dated) A bench or similar seat on top of a diligence or other public vehicle.
- 1899, Julia Ward Howe, Reminiscences:
  My brother-in-law […] took refuge in the banquette.
(Louisiana, Texas) A sidewalk.
- 1899, Kate Chopin, The Awakening:
  The boys were dragging along the banquette a small “express wagon,” which they had filled with blocks and sticks.
- 1963 (date written), John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces, London: Penguin Books, published 1980 (1981 printing), →ISBN:
  “Get the hell away from that stove, Charmaine, and go play out on the banquette before I bust you right in the mouth.”