fenestration

noun

fen·​es·​tra·​tion ˌfe-nə-ˈstrā-shən How to pronounce fenestration (audio)
1
: the arrangement, proportioning, and design of windows and doors in a building
2
: an opening in a surface (such as a wall or membrane)
3
: the operation of cutting an opening in the bony labyrinth between the inner ear and tympanum to replace natural fenestrae that are not functional

Examples of fenestration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Thomas house sits close to the street and, with minimal fenestration besides a huge bank of Mondrian-style frosted windows alongside the front door, is oriented to take advantage of its high mountainside perch. Mark David, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025 The revolving doors and complex fenestration made entering the museum crowded and confusing. Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2024 Mongolian gerbils who receive semicircular canal fenestration in their left inner ears offer a successful animal model for superior semicircular canal dehiscence. Michael W. Clune, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023 Christine Marvin is Chief Marketing + Experience Officer at Marvin, a leading manufacturer of premium fenestration solutions. Christine Marvin, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 The fenestration and zigzagging rhythms of dark exposed timbers on a white façade give each house here a personality. Richard B. Woodward, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 This process, called fenestration, is more precise than using a saw. Kat McGowan, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2010

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fenestration was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fenestration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fenestration. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

fenestration

noun
fen·​es·​tra·​tion ˌfen-ə-ˈstrā-shən How to pronounce fenestration (audio)
1
a
: a natural or surgically created opening in a surface
b
: the presence of such openings
2
: a surgical procedure that involves cutting an opening in the bony labyrinth between the inner ear and tympanum to replace natural fenestrae that are not functional (as in otosclerosis)
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