banister

noun

ban·​is·​ter ˈba-nə-stər 

variants or less commonly bannister

1

a

: a handrail with its supporting posts

b

: handrail

2

: baluster sense 2

banistered

ˈba-nə-stərd 

adjective

Synonyms

• balustrade
• guardrail
• rail
• railing

Examples of banister in a Sentence

The children love to slide down the banister.

She held the banister tightly.

Recent Examples on the Web

For an inexpensive craft, craft colorful paper ring chains, gold paper star garlands, and coffee filter snowflakes to hang on mantels, banisters, and around thresholds. —Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2024

Drape the garland across a wall, mantle, banister or around your tree. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2024

National Tree Company 9-Foot Crestwood Spruce Garland Add this 9-foot garland to your banister, mantel, or front porch. —Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

The production team came out the day before to set up shots perfectly timed to the sunset and painted the concrete banisters to a stone texture while Freeman was off the property. —Bryan West, The Tennessean, 23 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of baluster

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

banister

noun

ban·​is·​ter

variants also bannister

ˈban-ə-stər

1

: one of the slender posts used to support the handrail of a staircase

2

: a handrail with its supporting posts

3

: the handrail of a staircase