Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A platform that projects from the wall of a building and is surrounded by a railing, balustrade, or parapet.
  • noun A gallery that projects over the main floor in a theater or auditorium.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A stage or platform projecting from the wall of a building within or without, supported by columns, pillars, or consoles, and encompassed with a balustrade, railing, or parapet. Outer balconies are common before windows, and inner ones in ball-rooms, public halls, etc.
  • noun In theaters, a gallery occupying various positions.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Arch.) A platform projecting from the wall of a building, usually resting on brackets or consoles, and inclosed by a parapet. Also, a projecting gallery in places of amusement.
  • noun A projecting gallery once common at the stern of large ships.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An accessible structure extending from a building, especially outside a window.
  • noun An accessible structure overlooking a stage.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an upper floor projecting from the rear over the main floor in an auditorium
  • noun a platform projecting from the wall of a building and surrounded by a balustrade or railing or parapet

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian balcone, from Old Italian, scaffold, of Germanic origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Italian balcone "balcony, floor-length window" from Old Italian balcone "scaffold", from Lombardic *balko, *balkon- ("beam") from Proto-Germanic *balkô (“beam”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhelg'- (“beam, pile, prop”). Akin to Old High German balco, balcho ("beam"), Old English balca ("beam, ridge"). More at balk.

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Examples

  • Ha! No, seriously, I have great memories of a couple of dinners up there — and the balcony is a breathtaking place to watch a storm roll in. posted by Matthew @ 11: 47 AM

    Breezin' Matthew Guerrieri 2006

  • Ha! No, seriously, I have great memories of a couple of dinners up there — and the balcony is a breathtaking place to watch a storm roll in. posted by Matthew @ 11: 47 AM

    Archive 2006-12-01 Matthew Guerrieri 2006

  • "I'm right on what we call the balcony of the city," said Leal, the cafeteria owner.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • "I'm right on what we call the balcony of the city," said Leal, the cafeteria owner.

    StarTribune.com rss feed 2011

  • It is a balcony from a village home that is nothing like a classic terrace overlooking a garden.

    en-tête - French Word-A-Day 2009

  • The balcony is small and narrow, but on this cold and foggy March morning it does provide asomber view of the frozen expanse of St. Croix river and thebridge connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin.

    Waking Up in Stillwater « Biodork 2010

  • The basic format, of a woman seated on a balcony, is inspired by the Mona Lisa, and there's a watery landscape abutting Eleonora's left side, that recalls a popular metaphor, the "lake of the heart"; there's even a left-sided half-smile.

    Bronzino's Medici portraits – review James Hall 2010

  • It is a balcony from a village home that is nothing like a classic terrace overlooking a garden.

    French Word-A-Day: 2009

  • It is a balcony from a village home that is nothing like a classic terrace overlooking a garden.

    Lettres de ma Terrasse 2009

  • It is a balcony from a village home that is nothing like a classic terrace overlooking a garden.

    Tante Marie-Francoise 2009

Comments

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  • Etymology: balaakhana from Persian balaa = above + khana = house, upperhouse

    August 30, 2009