window

[ win-doh ]

noun

1. an opening in the wall of a building, the side of a vehicle, etc., for the admission of air or light, or both, commonly fitted with a frame in which are set movable sashes containing panes of glass.
2. such an opening with the frame, sashes, and panes of glass, or any other device, by which it is closed.
3. the frame, sashes, and panes of glass, or the like, intended to fit such an opening:

   Finally the builders put in the windows.

4. a windowpane.
5. anything likened to a window in appearance or function, as a transparent section in an envelope, displaying the address.
6. a period of time regarded as highly favorable for initiating or completing something:

   Investors have a window of perhaps six months before interest rates rise.

7. Military. chaff ¹( def 5 ).
8. Geology. fenster.
9. Pharmacology. the drug dosage range that results in a therapeutic effect, a lower dose being insufficient and a higher dose being toxic.
10. Aerospace.
    1. launch window.
    2. a specific area at the outer limits of the earth's atmosphere through which a spacecraft must reenter to arrive safely at its planned destination.
11. Computers. a section of a display screen that can be created for viewing information from another part of a file or from another file:

    The split screen feature enables a user to create two or more windows.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with a window or windows.
2. Obsolete. to display or put in a window.

window

/ ˈwɪndəʊ /

noun

1. a light framework, made of timber, metal, or plastic, that contains glass or glazed opening frames and is placed in a wall or roof to let in light or air or to see through fenestral
2. an opening in the wall or roof of a building that is provided to let in light or air or to see through
3. See windowpane
4. the display space in and directly behind a shop window

   the dress in the window

5. any opening or structure resembling a window in function or appearance, such as the transparent area of an envelope revealing an address within
6. an opportunity to see or understand something usually unseen

   a window on the workings of Parliament

7. a period of unbooked time in a diary, schedule, etc
8. short for launch window weather window
9. physics a region of the spectrum in which a medium transmits electromagnetic radiation See also radio window
10. computing an area of a VDU display that may be manipulated separately from the rest of the display area; typically different files can be displayed simultaneously in different overlapping windows
11. modifier of or relating to a window or windows

    a window ledge

12. out of the window informal.
    dispensed with; disregarded

verb

1. tr to furnish with or as if with windows

Other Words From

• window·less adjective
• window·y adjective
• un·windowed adjective
• well-windowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of window¹

1175–1225; Middle English windoge, windowe < Old Norse vindauga, equivalent to vindr wind ¹ + auga eye

Word History and Origins

Origin of window¹

C13: from Old Norse vindauga, from vindr wind ¹+ auga eye ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see out the window .

Example Sentences

“It feels like that's out the window this time … And when he says in the first 100 days he plans to ban health care for trans youth, it feels like he will have more ability to do that this time because there's no one there to stop him.”

From Salon

A newborn baby was found dead in a Skid Row alleyway after police believe he was dropped from a fourth-floor window Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times

One man can be seen kicking in a plate-glass window at night to steal armfuls of Harris Tweed bags, costing up to £150 each.

From BBC

“There is still a window of opportunity for a safe landing for humanity, but this requires a global climate policy process that can deliver change at exponential speed and scale,” Prof Rockström said.

From BBC

The phenomenon at Horsetail Fall on El Capitan occurs in a tiny window in late February when the setting sun hits the waterfall at the right angle.

From Los Angeles Times