Fenestra
/fəˈnɛs.trə/noun
A window or opening in a wall or building.
Did you know?In ancient Rome, 'fenestra' was not just a window but a portal to the outside world, symbolizing the passage between life and death.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰen-
“to cut, to split”
Latin
Latin
fenestra
“an opening, a window, originally meaning a cut or split in a wall”
Old French
Old French
fenestre
“window, an opening in a wall for light and air”
Middle English
Middle English
fenestre
“an opening in a wall or a window, borrowed from Old French”
Modern English
English
window
“derived from Old English 'windoge', meaning a 'wind eye', a hole to let in air and light.”
Explore more surprising origins