baluster

• ballister, balluster (obsolete)
• balustre (Commonwealth)

Borrowed from Middle French balustre, from Italian balaustro (“pillar”), from balausta, balaustio (“wild pomegranate flower”), from Latin balaustium, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion), from Semitic (compare Classical Syriac ܒܠܳܨܳܐ (blāṣā, “pomegranate shoot”)). Doublet of banister.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbaləstə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbæləstɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æləstə(ɹ)

baluster (plural balusters)

1. (architecture) A short column used in a group to support a rail, as commonly found on the side of a stairway or around a balcony; a banister.

   Synonym: banister

   • 1604, Stephen Harrison, “The Deuice called, Cozmoz Neoz, New World.”, in The arch's of triumph erected in honor of the high and mighty prince. Iames. ... at his Maiesties entrance and passage through his honorable citty & chamber of London. vpon the 15th. day of march 1603. ..., via EEBO:

     The two Posternes were answerable to those of others set downe before: and were cut out of the two round Towers which riz vp in proportionable measures, from the ground on the foreside with battlements and Ballisters round enclosing the tops, containing in all their heights — foote:

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

     Sepia Delft tiles surrounded the fireplace, their crudely drawn Biblical scenes in faded cyclamen blending with the pinkish pine, while above them, instead of a mantelshelf, there was an archway high enough to form a balcony with slender balusters and a tapestry-hung wall behind.

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 17, in The Line of Beauty […], London: Picador, →ISBN:

     Nick looked at the floor, and at the rhythm of the black-and-gilt S-shaped balusters.

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Baluster”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume I (A–B), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 644, column 3.
• “balausta”, in Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, volume 1 a–balb, UTET, 1966, page 950c
• “balaustio”, in Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, volume 1 a–balb, UTET, 1966, page 950c f.
• “pulvinus”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia‎^[1]

• baluster on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• Albertus, Breaults, balustre, bluestar, rustable

Borrowed from French balustre, from Latin balaustium, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion).

baluster c (singular definite balusteren, plural indefinite balustere)

1. baluster

• “baluster” in Den Danske Ordbog

Borrowed from French balustre, from Latin balaustium, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion).

• IPA^(key): /ˌbaː.lys.ˈtɛr/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧lus‧ter

baluster m (plural balusters, diminutive balustertje n)

1. (architecture) baluster

Borrowed from French balustre, from Latin balaustium, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion).

baluster c

1. (architecture) a baluster (a short column used in a group to support a rail)

• balustrad