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

I honestly have no idea when or how it happened — I never heard a rock hit the windshield or noticed anything while I was driving.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

Before letting us start, the track marshals made us take down the GoPro camera attached to the windshield, which would otherwise have been pointed at my horrified face.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 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

Butterflies by the thousands fluttered maniacally before the headlights then exploded like tiny half-angels on the windshield leaving a scant yellow paint and the dust of broken wings as a final signature.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Better mirrors, better brakes and shatterproof windshields became standard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 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

The cameras will be mounted inside Metro bus windshields to monitor for parked vehicles in bus lanes and at bus stops, in order to help enforce new parking rules after L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2024

Through the open door, I could see lines of cars pulling in, sunlight winking in their windshields.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini