Meaning & use
fanlight
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A small window, often half-round, placed above a door or another window to let in light.
Grammar: Countable: one fanlight, two fanlights; often used with 'above' or 'over'.
Patterns
- a fanlight above something
- a fanlight over a door
The old house has a beautiful fanlight above the front door.
Sunlight came through the fanlight and lit the hallway.
She painted the wooden frame of the fanlight white.
nouncountabletechnical
A small pane or opening in the upper part of a window that can be opened for air.
Grammar: Countable and usually refers to the movable part of a window.
Patterns
- open the fanlight
- a hinged fanlight
He opened the fanlight to let some cool air into the room.
The fanlight was stuck, so they could not ventilate the kitchen.
Word forms
| plural | fanlights |
|---|
Common combinations
- a fanlight above the door
- A fanlight above the door gave the entrance a classic look.
- a semicircular fanlight
- The semicircular fanlight was made of stained glass.
- through the fanlight
- Light streamed through the fanlight into the hall.
- a fanlight window
- They replaced the old fanlight window with double glazing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- transom window
- A transom window is a similar small window above a door, but it is usually rectangular rather than half-round.
- skylight
- A skylight is set in a roof or ceiling, not above a door, so it is not a true synonym.
Word family
- fanlighted adjective
- Having a fanlight, as in a fanlighted doorway.
Commonly confused: fanlight or skylight? fanlight or headlight?
fanlight vs skylight
A skylight is in the roof; a fanlight is above a door or window on a wall.
fanlight vs headlight
A headlight is a lamp on a vehicle; a fanlight is a window in a building.
Practice
Where would you normally find a fanlight?
Choose one answer.
A fanlight is a small window above a door or another window. A light in the roof is a skylight, and a car light is a headlight.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fanlight”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.