Plural of bannister; handrails with vertical posts that run along stairs or balconies for safety.
From 'bannister,' a variant of 'baluster,' from Italian 'balaustra,' possibly from Greek 'balaustion' (pomegranate flower, whose shape resembles the post).
The baluster design—those vertical posts that inspired bannisters—came from pomegranate flowers, showing how nature inspired Victorian safety design.
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