Today's word, newel, lists as the secondary meaning "2. A post supporting the handrail of a staircase." While that's correct as far as it goes, I have always understood a newel post (on a non-spiral stair) to be a comparatively large post extending above the rail, usually at the bottom end of the handrail or at a landing, while all the other, smaller posts supporting a stair (or any other) handrail are called balusters (or, collectively, a balustrade).

In the below picture, I would have called the five larger posts which extend above the handrail (the ones with the garlanded urns on top) newel posts, and all the smaller ones balusters.



Maybe it would be useful to define 'newel' more precisely, to maintain the distinction between newels and balusters?

As a secondary matter, I've always heard them called "newel posts," rather than just "newels." It's entirely possible that "newel post" is a blatant redundancy, or perhaps a regional variant (I'm from Mississippi).

So, what's the thinking? Anyone else think the newel definition is perhaps a bit vague? D

And, do you call them 'newels' or 'newel posts'?

Clay

Hello, and it is good to have you here in the Forums.
Hope you enjoy your stay and be welcome;
and sorry, I have not a clue to your query. But someone will.
Patience.
Luke

Well, looking at the construction of the one in the picture, it is true that the large posts you would call Newell posts are supporting the ballustrade. The other smaller ones would not support it by themselves - it would just twist and fall apart. The ballustrade is supported primarily by the nails or dowelling that connects it to the Newell post and only secondarily by the smaller ones under it.

I would say newel post rather than newel for the big ones. I don't remember what the small ones are called although I think I would recognize the name if I heard it.

mi: It's striking that I'm also one of those compulsive folk who needs to know what everything is called and so have wondered the very same thing myself. After looking into it a bit I concluded that these terms are somewhat nebulous

With continued use the meaning of a word undergoes a semantic shift, that I like to call "smearing," that affords it wider application. A drive drive drive drive is the flight of a ball in a baseball game, the outcome of which results in an automobile trip by the all-time home-run champion to a venue in which culturally-acquired concern for the proliferation of a keychain semiconductor memory is sponsored through the profits of a lumber mill whose continued existencce depends upon the legalization of dredging a shallow river intended to convey logs downstream for further processing

Another case in point: Note for instance, "venue", which used to be a quasi-legal term meaning the location or county in which the event underlying an action occurred. Now, it seems, you can use it to mean "place" or "event": What's your venue for today