A veranda (or verandah) is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. Veranda most often refers to a long porch that extends along more than one outside wall of a house and is used for outdoor activities. With each culture, verandas vary by style. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.

The word came into English through the Hindi 'varandā', but it is related to the Spanish 'baranda', meaning “railing,” and thus most likely entered Hindi via Portuguese explorers of India. In some parts of the United States, however, it is used to mean any kind of porch, and in India it refers to either a long, open porch or an enclosed area in the front of the house where visitors are received.

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