Windshield

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A transparent protective screen mounted at the front of a vehicle to shield occupants from wind, weather, and debris while allowing visibility
2. A transparent barrier positioned at the front of a vehicle to safeguard passengers from the elements, debris, and airflow while ensuring clear sight of the road ahead
3. This clear panel located at the front of an automobile serves to protect its occupants from environmental elements and projectiles while maintaining visibility

Etymology: A windshield is about as plain as compounds get: "wind" joined to "shield," meaning a screen that shields against the wind. The parts have deep roots, with "wind" tracing back through Old English "wind" and Proto-Germanic "windaz" to a prehistoric root meaning to blow, while "shield" comes from Old English "scield," a word for the flat plate a warrior held against blows. The sense of the compound is literal from the start. Its meaning was a barrier against moving air, in the same way that earlier "windscreen" and "windshield" describe a protective wall or panel. The modern car part simply took the old idea of the shield and attached it to the vehicle, where it still does the job its name promises.

Synonyms: windscreen