balcony

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A platform that sticks out from the wall of a building, usually with a railing, where you can stand outside.

   We had breakfast on the balcony overlooking the sea.

2. 2
   noun

   The upper floor of seats in a theatre or cinema.

   We had cheap seats up in the balcony.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Balcony entered English in the early 17th century from Italian balcone, based on balco, meaning “scaffold,” which derives from a Germanic root meaning “beam.” English retained Italian-style stress on the second syllable until about 1825.

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *balkô Frankish *balkōbor. Medieval Latin balcōbor. Italian balconebor. English balcony From Italian balcone (“balcony, floor-length window”), from Old Italian balcone (“scaffold”) from Lombardic *balk, *balko (“beam”), from Proto-Germanic *balkô (“beam”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰelǵ- (“beam, pile, prop”). Akin to Old High German balco, balcho (“beam”), Old English balca (“beam, ridge”). More at balk.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
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