NEWEL

Newel

A newel, also called a central pole, is the central supporting pillar of a spiral staircase. It can also refer to an upright post that supports the handrail of a stair banister. In stairs having straight flights it is the principal post at the foot of the staircase, but it can also be used for the intermediate posts on landings and at the top of a staircase. Although its primary purpose is structural, newels have long been adorned with decorative trim and designed with different architectural styles.

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newel

Noun

  1. A central pillar around which a staircase spirals.
  2. A sturdy pillar at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs, supporting the handrail.

Noun (etymology 2)

  1. A novelty; a new thing.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: newel
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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