baluster

English

Different types of baluster

Alternative forms

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

Etymology

From Middle French balustre, from Italian balaustro (“pillar”), from balausta (“wild pomegranate flower”), so named because of resemblance to the swelling form of the half-open flower, from Ancient Greek βαλαύστιον (balaústion), from Semitic (compare Aramaic balatz (“wild pomegranate flower”)). Doublet of banister.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbæl.ʌ.stɹ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ælʌstɹ

Noun

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; a banister. [from 17th c.]
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess‎^[1]:

     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, New York: Bloomsbury, →OCLC:

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

Synonyms

• banister

Related terms

• balustrade

Translations

banister

• Armenian: ճաղ (hy) (čał)
• Catalan: balustre m
• Czech: balustrová kuželka f
• Danish: baluster c
• Dutch: baluster (nl) m
• Esperanto: balustro
• Estonian: baluster (et)
• Finnish: balusteri
• French: balustre (fr) f
• Galician: balaústre m
• Georgian: რიკული (ka) (riḳuli)
• German: Baluster (de) m
• Greek: κάγκελο (el) n (kágkelo)
• Hungarian: korlátbáb, mellvédbáb, baluszter
• Icelandic: rimill m, pílári í handriði m, brjóstriðssúla f, speli m, spæll m
• Ido: balustrado (io)
• Italian: balaustra (it)
• Latvian: balustrs m
• Lithuanian: balustras m
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: baluster m

  Nynorsk: baluster m

• Polish: tralka (pl) f, balas (pl) m, balaska f, balasek f
• Portuguese: balaústre (pt) m
• Romanian: balustru (ro) m
• Russian: баля́сина (ru) f (baljásina)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: балустер m

  Roman: baluster m

• Slovene: baluster m
• Spanish: balaustre (es) m
• Swedish: baluster (sv) c
• Ukrainian: баля́сина (uk) f (baljásyna)

References

• 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.

Anagrams

• Albertus, Breaults, balustre, bluestar, rustable

Danish

Etymology

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

Noun

baluster c (singular definite balusteren, plural indefinite balustere)

1. baluster

Declension

Declension of baluster

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	baluster	balusteren	balustere	balusterne
genitive	balusters	balusterens	balusteres	balusternes

References

• “baluster” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌbaː.lyˈs.tɛr/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧lus‧ter

Noun

baluster m (plural balusters, diminutive balustertje n)

1. (architecture) baluster

Swedish

Etymology

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

Noun

baluster c

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

Declension

Declension of baluster
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	baluster	balustern	balustrar	balustrarna
Genitive	balusters	balusterns	balustrars	balustrarnas

Related terms

• balustrad