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Glite Dictionary
quarterlight

quarterlight

9.8
Small window in a car door that opens to let fresh air in
  • noun
  • /ˈkwɔrtərˌlaɪt/
  • UK
: ventanilla
  • He opened the quarterlight to let in some fresh air while driving.

Examples

  • The old car's quarterlights were stuck shut and needed repairs.

  • She noticed rain dripping through the quarterlight during the storm.

  • The car has a quarterlight on the driver's side.

  • I noticed the quarterlights were fogged up.

  • He opened the quarterlight to let in some fresh air while driving.

  • The car has a quarterlight on the driver's side for ventilation.

  • She noticed rain dripping through the quarterlight during the storm.

Surface Forms

quarterlight singular
quarterlights plural

Morphology

quarterlight = quarter + light (semi-transparent) = quarter + light

The compound is analysable as 'quarter' + 'light', but 'light' meaning 'window' is dialectal/archaic and may not be obvious to many learners.

Etymology

Quarterlight comes from quarter ('a small part' or 'one side') and light ('a window or opening that lets light in'), like the word skylight. So a quarterlight is a small side window in a car that lets in light and fresh air.