balustrade

/ˌbæləˈstreɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbæləstreɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈba-lə-ˌstrād/ (ame, mw)

balustrade — noun

  • balustradesingular
  • balustradesplural

1. a protective barrier made of short vertical supports with a continuous rail acro

1.名詞B2
釋義

a protective barrier made of short vertical supports with a continuous rail across the top, placed along stairways, balconies, bridges, or terraces so that nobody falls off the side

例句

Ayanda held the marble balustrade as she climbed the wide steps of the city library.

marble balustrade

A wooden balustrade runs along the rooftop terrace to keep visitors safe near the edge.

wooden balustrade runs along

同義詞
  • railing

    more general term for any barrier of posts and bars; less architectural in tone

  • banister

    specifically the handrail and posts on a staircase, not used for balconies or bridges

文法句型

balustrade + of + place

adjective + balustrade

用法筆記

A balustrade includes both the vertical posts (balusters) and the top rail; the simpler word railing is more common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌The old banister stretches across the hotel balcony.
✅The old balustrade stretches across the hotel balcony.
💡Banister specifically refers to stair railings, while balustrade also covers balconies, bridges, and terraces.

2. the long bar that sits on top of a row of balusters, designed for people to hold

2.名詞C1
釋義

the long bar that sits on top of a row of balusters, designed for people to hold for balance or to complete the look of the railing

例句

Zara polished the oak balustrade until the shiny top bar reflected the hallway lights.

polished the oak balustrade

Kofi's fingers traced the carved pattern along the mahogany balustrade as he walked downstairs.

同義詞
  • handrail

    the everyday word for a rail you hold for support; more common than balustrade for this sense

  • top rail

    a purely descriptive term used in carpentry and architecture

文法句型

balustrade + of + [structure]

adjective + balustrade

用法筆記

This narrower sense refers only to the top bar (also called the handrail), not the whole assembly of posts. Many speakers use balustrade for sense 1 only and call this part the handrail.

常見錯誤

❌The marble balustrade has cracked in several places' (when meaning the top bar only).
✅The marble handrail has cracked in several places.
💡Use handrail for just the top bar to avoid ambiguity.