NYT Dictionary

WINDOW

/ˈwɪndoʊ/
NounVerbWIN-dowwin-dow · 2 syllablesGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Meaning

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.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *h₂wḗh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *h₂wéh₁n̥ts Proto-Germanic *windaz Old Norse vindr Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ-der. Proto-Germanic *augô Proto-Norse *ᚨᚢᚷᚨ (*auga) Old Norse auga Old Norse vindaugabor. Middle English wyndowe English window From Middle English wyndowe, wyndown, from Old Norse vindauga (“window”, literally “wind-eye; wind-hole”), equivalent to wind + eye. Cognate with Scots windae and windock, Faroese vindeyga, Norwegian Bokmål vindu, Norwegian Nynorsk vindauge, Danish vindue, archaic Swedish vindöga, Elfdalian windog. Displaced native Old English ēagþȳrel (literally “eye hole”) (the rare direct descendant is eyethurl (“window, pupil, etc.”)). The “windows” among early Germanic peoples were just unglazed holes (eyes) in the wall or roof that permitted wind to pass through .

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

chaffglasswindowpanebaycasementdormergrillelanternlatticeoriel

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 6 recorded puzzles:

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