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newel
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun newel has 2 senses
- newel(n = noun.artifact) newel post - the post at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs; it supports the handrail; Array is a kind of post
- newel(n = noun.artifact) Array - the central pillar of a circular staircase; Array is a kind of column, pillar
CIDE DICTIONARY
newel, n. [OF. nual, F. noyau sone, of fruit, noyau d'escaler newel, fr. L. nucalis like a nut, fr. nux, nucis, nut. Cf. Nowel the inner wall of a mold, Nucleus.].
The upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase wind; hence, in stairs having straight flights, the principal post at the foot of a staircase, or the secondary ones at the landings. Also called newel post . See Hollow newel , under Hollow. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
newel, n.
1 the supporting central post of winding stairs.
2 the top or bottom supporting post of a stair-rail.
1 the supporting central post of winding stairs.
2 the top or bottom supporting post of a stair-rail.
Etymology
ME f. OF noel, nouel, knob f. med.L nodellus dimin. of L nodus knot
For further exploring for "newel" in Webster Dictionary Online
