banister

• bannister

Alteration of earlier barrester, ballester, corruptions of baluster.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbænɪstɚ/

• Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -ænɪstɚ

banister (plural banisters)

1. The handrail on the side of a staircase.

   wooden banister

   polished banister

   lean on the banister

   She slid down the wooden banister like a child.

   He grasped the banister as he climbed the stairs.

2. One of the vertical supports of a handrail; a baluster.

• newel
• balustrade

banister (third-person singular simple present banisters, present participle banistering, simple past and past participle banistered)

1. (transitive) To construct a banister.
2. (transitive) To act as a banister.

• Bainters, barniest