windowsill
UK: ˈwɪndəʊsɪl | US: ˈwɪndoʊsɪl
n. the horizontal ledge or shelf at the bottom of a window, typically extending inward or outward from the window frame.
The word "windowsill" is a compound of "window" (from Old Norse vindauga, "wind eye," referring to an opening for light and air) and "sill" (from Old English syll, meaning "base" or "foundation"). The combination logically describes the flat ledge at the base of a window, serving as a structural or functional element. The term reflects the practical naming tradition in English, where compound words directly describe an object's purpose or form.
She placed a row of potted plants on the windowsill to catch the sunlight.
The cat curled up on the warm windowsill to nap.
Rainwater pooled on the wooden windowsill after the storm.
He leaned against the windowsill while gazing at the street below.
The paint on the old windowsill was chipped and peeling.