A bar or rail that you grip with your hand to support yourself while walking, climbing stairs, or using a ramp.
From 'hand' (Old English 'hand') + 'rail' (Middle Dutch 'reile', a rod or bar). Emerged as a compound term in the 19th century as industrial and public safety infrastructure developed.
Handrails save lives—studies show they reduce fall injuries by up to 50 percent, yet many older buildings lack them in places like bathrooms where elderly people are most vulnerable to slips and falls.
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