abat-jour

[ ah-bah-zhoor; French a-ba-zhoor ]

noun

, plural a·bat-jours [ah-bah-, zhoorz, a, -b, a, -, zhoor].

1. a device, as a skylight or reflector, for diverting light into a building.
2. a sloping screen for cutting off the view between an interior or porch and a lower area in front of a building.

Word History and Origins

Origin of abat-jour¹

1820–30; < French: literally, it throws down ( abat ) the daylight ( jour ). See abate, journey