bannister vs handrail

bannister and handrail both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
bannister	Yes	No	No	No
handrail	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, bannister and handrail are synonyms defined as:

bannister and handrail: a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling

Other synonyms of bannister include balusters, balustrade, banister.

bannister (noun)	handrail (noun)
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling	a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling