Standard Lemma guide

louver

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: lo͞oʹvə
  • UK: /ˈluːvə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: lo͞oʹvər
  • General-American: /ˈluːvɚ/
  • rhymes with -uːvə(ɹ)

1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of turret on the roof of certain medieval buildings designed to allow ventilation or the admission of light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A series of sloping overlapping slats or boards which admit air and light but exclude rain etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any of a system of slits, as in the hood of an automobile, for ventilation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

one of a set of parallel slats in a door or window to admit air and reject rain

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: louvre, fin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: slat, spline

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English lover, from Old French lovier, lover (“skylight”), from Medieval Latin *lōdārium (attested as lōvārium), extension of lōdium, of unclear origin, but probably of Germanic origin and related to Frankish *laubijā (“shelter”).

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: lamel — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Danish: jalousi — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Danish: lyre — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Dutch: luifel — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • German: Lüftungsgitter — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Middle English: lover — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Portuguese: lanternim — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Turkish: hava deliği — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Turkish: hava yarığı — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Turkish: panjur — a ventilating turret or lantern
  • Bulgarian: жалузи (žaluzi) — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Catalan: persiana — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Danish: lamel — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Danish: jalousi — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Dutch: luifel — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Finnish: säleikkö — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Irish: lúvar — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Italian: persiana — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Italian: gelosia — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Italian: griglia a lamelle — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Portuguese: persiana — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Portuguese: veneziana — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Russian: жалюзи́ (žaljuzí) — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Spanish: rejilla — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Swedish: jalusi — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Swedish: spjälverk — a slatted opening in a wall, door or window
  • Dutch: luifel — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Finnish: säleikkö — a system of slits for ventilation
  • German: Lüftungsschlitz — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Italian: griglia a lamelle — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Portuguese: grelha — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Russian: жалюзи́ (žaljuzí) — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Spanish: rejilla — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Swedish: ventilationsgaller — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Swedish: huvventilator — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Swedish: jalusigaller — a system of slits for ventilation
  • Swedish: kylargaller — a system of slits for ventilation