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bow window

bow window

1 4.7
A window that sticks out from a wall in a gentle curve to give more light and space
  • noun
translation icon : ventana de arco
  • She loved to sit in the sunlight coming through the bow window and read her favorite books.

Examples

  • "I kicked off my shoes and sank into the sofa by the bow window."

    Fiction book (1998)
  • In more gracious times, one could imagine its inhabitants sitting in the spacious main rooms, with its bow windows looking out to Rushcutter's Bay with its covey of sailing boats.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The wide bow window beyond the table showed that the day was starting out to be a misty one.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The bow windows had all the original woodwork.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • On either side of the bow window were tall bookcases.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Gradually, people drifted, some to the bow window in the living room, some across the hall to the matching window in the dining room.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • "Oh, Valerian, it is beautiful, is it not?" she asked, pointing to a gown hanging just behind the display in the bow window.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The room also has a bow window overlooking the front garden, a mini-fridge, and a spacious bathroom with a Jacuzzi.

    Blog text (13)
  • A window seat at a bow window was completely covered with children's coloring books and crayons.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The sound of a clattering post-chaise reining in below the bow-window jolted us out of an awkward preoccupation with our own secret thoughts.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

bay window
vsbow window
8 3.1

A window that sticks out from the wall and makes extra space inside

is curved rather than an angled or flat projection
oriel window
vsbow window
  • Specialized
9.9

A window that sticks out from an upper wall, sits on a bracket, and does not reach the ground

does not rely on bracket support and instead forms a curved projection
oriel
vsbow window
  • Specialized
9.9

A window that sticks out from a wall and stands on brackets

is curved rather than defined by bracket support

How Deep

bay window
8 3.1
bow window
1 4.7
oriel window
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

bow window singular
bow windows plural

Morphology

bow + window

The meaning 'a window that projects outward forming a curved shape' is directly derivable from combining 'bow' (a bend/arc) with 'window'—the first noun simply describes the window's curved shape. This is a straightforward noun–noun compositional pattern common in architectural vocabulary and cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely understand it.

Etymology

Bow window gets its name because the bow, a curved shape, makes the window push out from the wall like a gentle curve. That's why it means 'a window that projects outward in a curve'.