Balcony

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbælkəni/

Definitions

1. A platform that projects from the wall of a building, typically enclosed by a railing or parapet
2. A structure extending beyond the exterior of a building, often raised and shielded by a railing, that provides a space for outdoor activities and relaxation
3. A raised platform that juts out from a building's wall, often with a surrounding guardrail ; an elevated section of seating in a theater above the main floor offering a view of the stage

Etymology: The balcony began as a beam. In Lombardic, a Germanic language spoken in northern Italy, "balk" meant a beam, and the Old Italian "balcone" came from it, referring to a scaffold, a platform built out from a wall and held up by beams. Only later did the Italian word come to mean a floor-length window opening onto such a projecting platform. The Germanic root reaches far beyond Italy. Proto-Germanic "balkô" meant beam, and the same word survives in Old High German as "balco" or "balcho" and in Old English as "balca", which referred to a beam or ridge. English has kept a cousin of it in the verb "balk", meaning to stop short, from the same idea of a barrier. The English word "balcony" arrived from Italian, so the platform that we picture as a place to watch a parade was originally a piece of timber.

Synonyms: veranda, terrace, platform, gallery, deck