balcony

play

noun bal·co·ny \ˈbal-kə-nē\

Definition of balcony

plural

balconies

1 : a platform that projects from the wall of a building and is enclosed by a parapet or railing
2 : an interior projecting gallery in a public building (such as a theater)

balconied

play \-nēd\ adjective

See balcony defined for English-language learners

See balcony defined for kids

Examples of balcony in a Sentence

We asked for a hotel room with a balcony.
on summer mornings I often have breakfast out on the balcony

Recent Examples of balcony from the Web

Gone is the Jewish quarter, the markets with their monasteries, and the lattice balconies and sculptured masonry of another Sunni silk road city.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end", 5 July 2017
Duvo took her by the arm and led her onto the balcony.

— alden woods, azcentral, "60 days to find a home: Lack of affordable housing forces renters to settle", 2 July 2017
There, fix a cocktail at the wet bar, relax on a private balcony or scratch some poetry out in the office and a window walled viewing nook.

— brian kelly, AL.com, "Villa Norte along the banks of Bayou St. John", 28 June 2017
The architecture firm Glen & Company has brought some Broadway boogie-woogie to the space, creating rhythm with colors and suspending a theatrical scalloped balcony over the main floor.

— pete wells, New York Times, "A Chef’s Mexican Fantasia at Empellón in Midtown", 27 June 2017
The hotel company’s property on South Beach, designed by Morris Lapidus in the 1950s, already resembles an ocean liner with balconies that echo those found on cruise ships.

— chabeli herrera, miamiherald, "Ritz-Carlton isn’t all about hotels anymore. Now it’s launching a cruise line", 22 June 2017
Look for the founders’ faces in the balcony murals.

— Los Angeles Magazine, "The 54 Best Things To Do in Downtown L.A. Right Now", 20 June 2017
The Somers fire department says the area experienced another balcony collapse about a year ago during a party at a private residence with 20 people involved.

— Bloomberg.com, "32 People Go to Hospitals After Deck Collapse in Montana", 18 June 2017
Khrushchevkas have no elevators; each apartment unit consists of one to three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and at times a balcony.

— jeffrey tayler, The Atlantic, "Gentrification, Post-Soviet Style", 3 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'balcony'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of balcony

Origin and Etymology of balcony

Italian balcone, from Old Italian, large window, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German balko beam — more at balk

NEW!

First Known Use: 1618

See Words from the same year

Other Architecture Terms

buttress, casita, cornice, fanlight, garret, lintel, parapet, pilaster, plinth

BALCONY Defined for English Language Learners

balcony

play

noun

Definition of balcony for English Language Learners

: a raised platform that is connected to the side of a building and surrounded by a low wall or railing
: a floor or seating area above the main floor of a theater

BALCONY Defined for Kids

balcony

play

noun bal·co·ny \ˈbal-kə-nē\

Definition of balcony for Students

plural

balconies

1 : a platform enclosed by a low wall or a railing built out from the side of a building
2 : a platform inside a theater extending out over part of the main floor