sill
noun
a horizontal timber, block, or the like serving as a foundation of a wall, house, etc.
Showing results for sill.
Search instead for
Silq.
sill
1 American
[sil]
/ sɪl /
noun
-
sills
plural
-
a horizontal timber, block, or the like serving as a foundation of a wall, house, etc.
-
the horizontal piece or member beneath a window, door, or other opening.
-
Geology. a tabular body of intrusive igneous rock, ordinarily between beds of sedimentary rocks or layers of volcanic ejecta.
Sill
2
American
[sil]
/ sɪl /
noun
sill
British
/ sɪl /
noun
-
a shelf at the bottom of a window inside a room
-
a horizontal piece along the outside lower member of a window, that throws water clear of the wall below
-
the lower horizontal member of a window or door frame
-
a continuous horizontal member placed on top of a foundation wall in order to carry a timber framework
-
a flat usually horizontal mass of igneous rock, situated between two layers of older sedimentary rock, that was formed by an intrusion of magma
sill
Scientific
/ sĭl /
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sill
before 900; Middle English sille, Old English syl, sylle; cognate with Low German süll, Old Norse syll; akin to German Schwelle sill
Vocabulary lists containing sill
Earth Science - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Earth Science - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Rocks and Minerals - Middle School and High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The California Energy Commission, which tracks fuel inventory, said the state’s current jet fuel stock is sill sufficient.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
"I looked out the window and the water was lapping at the bottom of the window sill," he recalled.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2025
The Red Sea was initially connected from the north to the Mediterranean through a shallow sill.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2025
“It’s the law,” the not-unkind super replies — though Alex, now 2, can barely sit up, let alone reach the sill.
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2024
She was about to turn away from the window when out of the corner of her eye she saw something appearing above the sill outside—a small furry face.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Sill, Emanuel concludes: “With none of the flags pointing to elevated systemic risks, EVR ISI Strategy continues to see S&P 500 ending 2026 at 7,750, with the potential for a bubble forming at 30%.”
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
The trunk and benches were hidden behind curtains while they were being installed at The Sill, which is just two miles from where the tree had stood.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025
In the mountains east of San Diego, a wind gust of 102 mph was recorded at Sill Hill, nearing the all-time record of 105 mph recorded there on Feb. 26, 2020, Tardy said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2025
Sill says people always reach out with funny questions about what exactly they can store.
From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024
When Dad was ordered to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the time seemed opportune.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Inside, chocolate brown wood is everywhere: walls, beams, window sills, paneling, wainscoting, furniture, not to mention built-in cabinets, benches and window seats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2025
"Even if you don't directly feed pigeons, their droppings on window sills and balconies can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2025
I have so many books, but never enough shelves, so I have books everywhere — piled up on tables, chairs, running along window sills, books in every available nook and cranny.
From New York Times ● May 9, 2024
Snow gently piled on window sills and in corners didn’t melt, revealing one piece of trivia most Hallmark aficionados have long known.
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2023
The shutters of the town are drawn, but between slats, over sills, a thousand eyes peer out.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
