windshield

American  

[wind-sheeld, win-] / ˈwɪndˌʃild, ˈwɪn- /

noun

windshields plural

1. a shield of glass, in one or more sections, projecting above and across the dashboard of an automobile.

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windshield British  

/ ˈwɪndˌʃiːld /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): windscreen.  the sheet of flat or curved glass that forms a window of a motor vehicle, esp the front window

2. an object designed to shield something from the wind

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• windshields
  plural

Etymology

Origin of windshield

First recorded in 1900–05; wind ¹ + shield

Explanation

The thick, protective glass at the front of a car is its windshield. If it's hard to see clearly when you're driving, you may need new glasses — or it might just be time to clean the windshield. The word windshield is the North American version of what Brits call the windscreen. Whether you're traveling in a bus, airplane, or taxi, there's a windshield protecting you and the driver (or pilot) from flying debris. Modern windshields are made of extremely strong, shatter-proof glass. When rain falls, pouring against the windshield, be sure to turn on the windshield wipers!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

windshield windshields

It’s a chip that turned into about an eight-inch crack across the windshield, so it’s pretty obvious.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

Photos released by CHP show a hole punched through the van’s windshield and a web of cracks surrounding it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

This unique camera-based system replaces a traditional forward-facing windshield by providing the pilot with a live display view ahead of the aircraft.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

TV pictures showed a white vehicle with a badly damaged windshield and hood, and the street cordoned off and surrounded by emergency vehicles.

From Barron's ● May 4, 2026

Through the windshield, he followed the path of the headlights.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Then, smart glass for windshields that will tint itself in the spot where the sun or a reflection hits it at high intensity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Factories have used stationary robots since the 1960s for tasks such as welding frames and attaching windshields.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

In light traffic, we made our way past Lewiston High, down East Avenue and Lisbon Street, Lewiston Strong stickers adorning the rear windshields of many cars.

From Slate ● Dec. 4, 2024

For nearly a decade, authorities say, an unknown vandal shattered windows and windshields on North Enid Avenue in Azusa.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2024

Most of the boys have a mind to dean windshields all day on the corner, or to beg from the foreign journalists.

From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple