banquette

[ bang-ket; locally bang-kit for 3 ]

/ bæŋˈkɛt; locally ˈbæŋ kɪt for 3 /

a long bench with an upholstered seat, especially one along a wall, as in a restaurant.

an embankment for buttressing the base of a levee and forming a berm.

Chiefly Coastal Louisiana and East Texas. a sidewalk, especially a raised one of bricks or planks.

Fortification. a platform or step along the inside of a parapet, for soldiers to stand on when firing.

a ledge running across the back of a buffet.

a bench for passengers on top of a stagecoach.

Origin of banquette

1620–30; < French < Provençal banqueta, equivalent to banc bench (see bank³) + -eta -ette

banns, banoffee, banon, banquet, banquet room, banquette, banquo, bans, bansela, banshee, banstead

Dunst was hanging in a banquette with the designers of Rodarte.

Alexander McQueen Exhibit: Fashion's Big Night |Robin Givhan, Jacob Bernstein |May 3, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
A stone “kerb,” or banquette, ran around one portion of the wall.

The Quadroon |Mayne Reid
The three mammas occupied the coup, while my brother-in-law, Thomas Crawford, took refuge in the banquette.

Reminiscences, 1819-1899 |Julia Ward Howe.
So saying, she sunk down on the banquette, murmuring to herself, "He is gone for ever!"

The Centenary Garland |Anonymous

So Mr. Howland engaged the two places in the coupé, and one on the banquette.

Rollo in Rome |Jacob Abbott
My next sentry hour began at nine in the morning; I was standing on the banquette when I heard Bill speaking.

The Red Horizon |Patrick MacGill

banquette

/ (bæŋˈkɛt) /

an upholstered bench

(formerly) a raised part behind a parapet

a footbridge

C17: from French, from Provençal banqueta, literally: a little bench, from banc bench; see bank ³