skylight
Meaning
a window set in a roof or ceiling to let in daylight.
Structure
Usage
the attic room felt much brighter after they installed a large skylight.
she lay on the floor, staring at the stars through the open skylight.
the modern design of the library features a central atrium with a glass skylight.
Etymology
the word 'skylight' is a transparent compound formed from two old english and old norse elements. 'sky', originally from old norse meaning 'cloud', shifted in english to refer to the celestial dome. 'light', from old english, has consistently meant illumination. the compound, emerging in the 17th century, logically describes an architectural feature—a window—that admits light directly from the sky, bypassing walls. its formation follows a straightforward pattern in english where two concrete nouns combine to name a new, specific object based on its function and source.
Analysis
sky: from old norse 'ský', meaning 'cloud'. in english, it evolved to mean the region of the atmosphere and heavens above. light: from old english 'lēoht', meaning 'brightness, daylight'. it denotes the natural agent that makes things visible.