Windproof

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Designed to prevent the passage of air currents through or around it
2. Crafted to block or resist air from penetrating or passing through its structure
3. Constructed to inhibit air flow and provide protection against wind

Etymology: "Windproof" is a plain compound: "wind" joined to "proof," with "-proof" used in the sense of "able to resist or withstand" something, as in "waterproof" or "fireproof." The "wind" part traces back through Old English "wind" and Proto-Germanic "windazs" to a root shared across the Germanic languages, meaning moving air. The "-proof" element has an older and more interesting history than the modern compound suggests. It began as a noun meaning a test or trial, and the sense of "impenetrable" grew out of the idea of a thing that had passed a trial. Once English speakers had "waterproof" and "fireproof," the suffix became productive, and "windproof" followed the same pattern as a natural extension.

Synonyms: resistant, impervious