vasistas

French

FWOTD – 10 January 2013

Etymology

Attested since 1760, and early on spelled wass-ist-dass (in occurrences from 1770 and 1776), from German was ist das? (literally what is that?).[1][2]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /va.zis.tas/, /va.zis.tɑs/
  • (file)

Noun

vasistas m (plural vasistas)

  1. transom window (window above a door or another window)
    • 1938, Francis Carco, L’Homme de Minuit:
      Jim manœuvra le cordon d’un vasistas, mais l’ouverture donnait sur la loge de Gaby Million où la vedette avait laissé ses chiens. Les bêtes se mirent à aboyer.
      Jim maneuvered a rope from the transom, but the opening overlooked the lodge where the star Gaby Million had left her dogs. The creatures began to bark.
  2. fortochka (small ventilation window)

Descendants

  • Italian: vasistas
  • Turkish: vasistas

References

  1. vasistas”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
  2. Grammarphobia blog: vasistas

Turkish

Etymology

From French vasistas, from German was ist das? (literally what is that?).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vasisˈtas/

Noun

vasistas (definite accusative vasistası, plural vasistaslar)

  1. transom window (window above a door or another window)
  2. bottom hung window, trap window
  3. fortochka (small ventilation window)

Further reading

  • vasistas”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
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