window seat

American  

noun

1. a seat built beneath the sill of a recessed or other window.

2. a bench having two arms and no back.

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window seat British  

noun

1. a seat below a window, esp in a bay window

2. a seat beside a window in a bus, train, etc

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Etymology

Origin of window seat

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

When the next streetcar rolls in, the upper deck fills with a gaggle of schoolgirls, squabbling over who gets the window seat closest to the sea breeze.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The woman told the the court that she had been sitting in a window seat reading a book when Cristiano moved to seats to be beside her.

From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026

She tries to find an empty row of seats or, if it is full, a window seat so she has something to lean on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

While not everyone has the money to fly or the luck to grab a window seat, we can nonetheless celebrate the work through social media as well as traditional media outlets.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2025

I move the stack to the window seat, then under a crib, then by the door, then to the closet.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• love seat
• settee