balustrade

noun

bal·​us·​trade ˈba-lə-ˌstrād 

1

: a row of balusters topped by a rail

2

: a low parapet or barrier

balustraded

ˈba-lə-ˌstrā-dəd 

adjective

Synonyms

• banister
• bannister
• guardrail
• rail
• railing

Examples of balustrade in a Sentence

an ornately carved balustrade for the staircase

Recent Examples on the Web

The four-story house was built into a hillside and featured concrete walls, gabled tile roofs, balustrade terraces, arched portico and a chimney with six flues, the city of Capitola wrote in an application seeking to include the building on the National Register of Historic Places. —Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2025

Ramon Portelli for Studio NiCHE The comparatively large 10-sq-m (107-sq-ft) outdoor terrace features a bespoke limestone planter in place of a traditional balustrade. —New Atlas, 11 Apr. 2025

The addition neither aspires to novelty nor imitates great age, being free of balustrades, pilasters, dentil cornices, and all the other surface frosting that Beaux-Arts architects considered indispensable. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 25 Mar. 2025

Think ornate stuccoes, regal salons, wrought-iron balustrades, and panoramic terraces that offer breathtaking views of Palermo and the verdant Piana dei Colli. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian balaustrata, from balaustro

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for balustrade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed
• escapade

Kids Definition

balustrade

noun

bal·​us·​trade ˈbal-ə-ˌstrād 

: a row of balusters topped by a rail

also : a low wall or barrier