jalousie

noun

jal·​ou·​sie ˈja-lə-sē 

1

: a blind with adjustable horizontal slats for admitting light and air while excluding direct sun and rain

2

: a window made of adjustable glass louvers that control ventilation

Did you know?

Etymologists are clear on the source of the word jalousie—it's French for "jealousy"—but the relationship between the emotion and the window treatments originally referred to as jalousies is not something they've speculated much about. Is it that those peering out through the original jalousie blinds were jealous of the people outside? Or is it more likely that the jealousy festered in the hearts of those outside, who could see the blinds but not the faces and lives of the people they hid? This excerpt from the October 23, 1766 entry in the Duchess of Northumberland's diary perhaps provides a clue: "Rows of Seats with Jalousies in Front that [the women] may not be seen."

Examples of jalousie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To that end, the warm interior tones pull in natural light from the jalousie and floor-to-ceiling windows, which look out onto the balcony and a garden landscaped by David himself, not to mention the sweeping views of central Los Angeles below. —Anna Furman, ELLE Decor, 22 Mar. 2023

Caldwell would be found dead in the back of the house at 1:10 a.m. Dec. 6, according to records, about 4 feet from where two police officers tried in vain to break a jalousie window. —Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 15 Dec. 2020

But beneath the plywood was a jalousie within a metal frame, a type of window that has a row of slats. —Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 15 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, jealousy, from Old French gelus jealous

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

jalousie

noun

jal·​ou·​sie ˈjal-ə-sē 

1

: a blind with adjustable horizontal strips (as of wood, plastic, or glass) to admit light and air and shut out sun and rain

2

: a window made of adjustable glass louvers