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

If that were so, you could sue when an ad for a pizza place is placed on the windshield of your car.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

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

Cars at the busy intersection were seen in the video driving around the stopped Waymo, as the man pulled on the car’s windshield wiper.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

A car has around 75, in engines, braking systems and even windshield wiper motors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

It sent back a dirty spray that splashed across the windshield.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Even cars in the parking lots look fabulous, their roofs and windshields sparkling in the golden sunshine like so many tiny gems.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

With the mayor’s vocal support, Mr. Bratton put broken-windows policing to work, arresting “squeegee men” who smeared dirty rags across motorists’ windshields, holding them hostage for a “contribution.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 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

As C scans windshields, front seats, and license plates, they tell me about a recent incident near their home.

From Slate ● Jan. 16, 2026

There's ice, usually, lots of it, that shellacs the sidewalks and windshields that then need to be scraped.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama