window

A window is often a glass opening in a wall, door, or vehicle that lets in light and air and lets you look outside. You might open one to let in a cool breeze or stand by one to watch the rain. It can also mean a clear view or a way to see something, as in "a window into another person's life."

The word is also used for time and technology. A "window of opportunity" is a short time when you have the chance to do something. On a computer, a window is the framed area on the screen where a program, document, or webpage appears.

The word "window" most often refers to an opening in the wall or door of a building, or in the side of a vehicle, usually covered with glass. It lets in light, may let in air, and allows people to look in or out. In everyday life, this is the meaning people use most: "She looked out the window and saw the street below."

The word can also describe a period of time in which something can happen. A "window of opportunity" is a limited time when action is possible or useful. People also speak of a "two-hour window" for a delivery or a short window for signing up, applying, or making a change.

In a figurative sense, a window can be a way of seeing, learning, or understanding something more clearly. A documentary can be a window into life in another country, and a diary can be a window into a person's thoughts. This meaning suggests access to something that is not always easy to see directly.

In computing, a window is a framed area on a screen where a program, file, message, or webpage appears. You can open, close, move, or resize it while working. Whether it brings in light, gives a chance to act, offers a view into something, or shows information on a screen, the idea is the same: it creates an opening for seeing, access, or action.