window

Etymology

From Middle English windowe, windohe, windoge, from Old Norse vindauga (“window”, literally “wind-eye", "wind-aperture", "wind-hole”), i.e. ("air-hole"), equivalent to wind +‎ eye. Cognate with Scots wyndo, wyndok, winnock (“window”), Faroese vindeyga (“window”), Norwegian Nynorsk vindauga, Norwegian Bokmål vindu (“window”), Danish vindue (“window”), Swedish vindöga (“window”), old German Windauge. The “windows” in these times were just unglazed holes (eyes) in the wall or roof that permitted wind to pass through.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈwɪndəʊ/

  • Audio (UK)

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• (US) enPR: wĭnʹdō, IPA^(key): /ˈwɪndoʊ/, [ˈwɪɾ̃oʊ]

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪndəʊ
• Hyphenation: win‧dow

Noun

window (plural windows)

1. An opening, usually covered by one or more panes of clear glass, to allow light and air from outside to enter a building or vehicle.
   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175, page 035:

     But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶ […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, […].

   • 1952, L. F. Salzman, Building in England, p.173:

     A window is an opening in a wall to admit light and air.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess‎:

     Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall.  Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime.

2. An opening, usually covered by glass, in a shop which allows people to view the shop and its products from outside; a shop window.
   • 1915, George A. Birmingham, “chapter I”, in Gossamer (Project Gutenberg; EBook #24394), London: Methuen & Co., published 8 January 2013 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 558189256:

     There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. […] Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place. Pushing men hustle each other at the windows of the purser's office, under pretence of expecting letters or despatching telegrams.

3. (architecture) The shutter, casement, sash with its fittings, or other framework, which closes a window opening.
4. A period of time when something is available.

   launch window;  window of opportunity;  You have a two-hour window of clear weather to finish working on the lawn.

   • 2017 August 25, Euan McKirdy et al, "Arrest warrant to be issued for former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra", in edition.cnn.com, CNN:

     Now she'll be thinking about fleeing. (The verdict delay) provides a window for potential flight....if she has not fled already.

5. (graphical user interface) A rectangular area on a computer terminal or screen containing some kind of user interface, displaying the output of and allowing input for one of a number of simultaneously running computer processes.
6. A figure formed of lines crossing each other.
   • William King (1663-1712)

     till he has windows on his bread and butter

7. (medicine) The time between first infection and detectability.

Verb

window (third-person singular simple present windows, present participle windowing, simple past and past participle windowed)

1. (transitive) To furnish with windows.
2. (transitive) To place at or in a window.

   Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see / Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down / His corrigible neck? — Shakespeare.