noun
banister
BA-nihst
noun
1
The handrail running along the side of a staircase, or one of the upright posts supporting it.
"The children loved sliding down the banister when their parents weren't looking."
"He gripped the banister tightly as he climbed the dark stairs."
How to Use Banister
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe rail (and its supporting posts) you hold onto going up or down stairs.
Common mistake
Also commonly spelled "bannister" with two n's — both spellings are in wide use, though "banister" is more standard.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
banistered past tense, banisters plural, Banisters plural, banisters singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “banister”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The children loved sliding down the _____ when their parents weren't looking.
Etymology
An altered form of an earlier word derived from baluster, the term for the small decorative posts supporting a railing.