clerestory

American  

[kleer-stawr-ee, -stohr-ee] / ˈklɪərˌstɔr i, -ˌstoʊr i /

Or clearstory

noun

plural

clerestories

1. Architecture. a portion of an interior rising above adjacent rooftops and having windows admitting daylight to the interior.

2. a raised construction, as on the roof of a railroad car, having windows or slits for admitting light or air.

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clerestory British  

/ ˈklɪəˌstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a row of windows in the upper part of the wall of a church that divides the nave from the aisle, set above the aisle roof

2. the part of the wall in which these windows are set Compare blindstorey

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Other Word Forms

• clerestoried adjective

Etymology

Origin of clerestory

1375–1425; late Middle English, equivalent to clere clear + story story ²

Example Sentences

Gehry introduced clerestory windows, skylights, large exposed trusses, raw concrete floors and metal cladding, elevating the utilitarian spaces without erasing their industrial character.

From Los Angeles Times

The lighting is bright to the point of excess, overpowering the light from the stained-glass windows of the clerestory.

From The Wall Street Journal

The classrooms are also bathed in daylight via skylights and clerestories, with sunbeams touching the playfully angled surfaces.

From Los Angeles Times

Flowing spaces open with double-height spaces, subtle level changes and large openings like skylights, clerestory windows, balconies, and even a spot where an entire section of roof pivots open thanks to a large piston.

From Los Angeles Times

The modern exterior gives way to Midcentury-inspired living spaces, which combine stone, glass and wood under skylights and clerestory windows.

From Los Angeles Times