balustrade

noun

bal·​us·​trade ˈba-lə-ˌstrād How to pronounce balustrade (audio)
1
: a row of balusters topped by a rail
2
: a low parapet or barrier
balustraded adjective

Examples of balustrade in a Sentence

an ornately carved balustrade for the staircase
Recent Examples on the Web Below a sky of gray clouds, the bay lapped at the concrete balustrades, sending spurts periodically onto the sidewalk. Annie Gowen, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023 In addition to re-creating the Baroque-style sculptures, 600 feet of the ornate balustrade that runs the roof’s perimeter was carefully removed, re-created, and replaced. Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023 The effect is reinforced with glass balustrades and no handrails. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 28 July 2023 On an upper level, a balustrade is set with plants in pots and hung with a fluttering carpet, all of which appear, alarmingly, about to topple and cascade—not onto the street below but right out of the plane of the painting, onto the heads of the viewers. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 9 June 2022 The construction was initially aimed at adding a new bridge deck and rails and improving the structure's balustrades and walls. Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2023 Undeterred, the designers added grandeur by installing a wooden balustrade on either side. ELLE Decor, 7 June 2023 Ferns punch through balustrades gone moldy and black. Manuel Roig-Franzia, Washington Post, 7 June 2023 The crossing is a single-span concrete deck bridge with rectangular balustrades. Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'balustrade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian balaustrata, from balaustro

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of balustrade was in 1644

Dictionary Entries Near balustrade

Cite this Entry

“Balustrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balustrade. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

balustrade

noun
bal·​us·​trade ˈbal-ə-ˌstrād How to pronounce balustrade (audio)
: a row of balusters topped by a rail
also : a low wall or barrier

More from Merriam-Webster on balustrade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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