sunshade

American  

[suhn-sheyd] / ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

1. something used as a protection from the rays of the sun, as an awning or a parasol.

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sunshade British  

/ ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

1. a device, esp a parasol or awning, serving to shade from the sun

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Usage

What does sunshade mean? Sunshade is a general term for something that’s intended to block sunshine and provide shade—something that shades you from the sun. Things that could be called a sunshade include an awning (like in a stadium or on the back of your house), a parasol (one of those umbrellas used for shade), and that thing you put on the inside of your car’s windshield so the car doesn’t so get so hot in the sun. Although the word shades is a slang term for sunglasses, the word sunshade does not typically refer to sunglasses. Example: I don’t want to get a sunburn while sitting on the deck, so I’m going to install some kind of sunshade.

Etymology

Origin of sunshade

First recorded in 1835–45; sun + shade

Example Sentences

Beneath a tarp sunshade, Apiñas began cooking eggs and toasting bread while the children used water from a bucket to wash their face and brush their teeth.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2024

Even in L1, the sunshade would need to have a certain critical mass to avoid being shoved out of place — at least a few million metric tons.

From Scientific American • Aug. 1, 2023

Car windows are tinted, shade structures tower over grocery store parking spaces, and it’s rare to see a playground without a sunshade stretching over it.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 18, 2023

Enter Wirecutter’s recommendation: the less conventional, but far more functional, sunshade.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2023

Mr. Singh held his hand over his brow to make a sunshade and looked into the distance.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• covering
• tent