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

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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 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

The application External link shows Zoox is looking for release from certain requirements ranging from occupant crash protection to windshield wiping and defrosting.

From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026

They just switched from hurling lightning bolts at us to hurling fat drops of rain that splattered across the windshield like bugs.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

With the race cars stripped of fenders and windshields, their drivers were inundated and miserable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

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

Better mirrors, better brakes and shatterproof windshields became standard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 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

I’d seen hundreds of shattered windshields in the junkyard, each one unique, with its particular spray of gossamer extruding from the point of impact, a chronicle of the collision.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover