louver

noun lou·ver \ ˈlü-vər \

variants: or louvre

Definition of louver

1 :a roof lantern or turret often with slatted apertures for escape of smoke or admission of light in a medieval building

2 a :an opening provided with one or more slanted fixed or movable fins to allow flow of air but to exclude rain or sun or to provide privacy

b :a finned or vaned device for controlling a flow of air or the radiation of light

c :a fin or shutter of a louver

—

louvered

or less commonly louvred play \ˈlü-vərd\ adjective

See louver defined for English-language learners

See louver defined for kids

Recent Examples of louver from the Web

Walls at Field Park Elementary School were tuckpointed and a louver that is part of a mechanical system was replaced.

— annemarie mannion, chicagotribune.com, "Schools in La Grange, Western Springs use summer months to improve schools," 14 Aug. 2017
Precisely spaced, vertical cedar louvers conceal the complexity of a seemingly simple shape.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "Famous architect's Street of Dreams home may change your life (photos)," 27 July 2017
The cedar eaves and vertical louvers that wrap the exterior provide an additional layer of privacy while diffusing interior light at night for an eye-catching design element.

— neal j. leitereg, latimes.com, "Home of the Week: West Hollywood contemporary is a showcase of bright ideas," 15 July 2017
The wood louver shutters are drawn to block your view of the dollar store and Aurora outside.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "JoyFish: Aurora on the outside, Vegas on the inside, and a whole fish to enjoy," 11 July 2017
Zizzo was at it early on Friday, cleaning the louvers on the air conditioner in his racing trailer.

— tony baranek, chicagotribune.com, "Lincolnshire's T.J. Zizzo looking for a takeoff at NHRA Route 66 Nationals," 7 July 2017
Aston Martin added extraction louvers above the front wheel arches to reduce air pressure and lift, and pairs of carbon-fiber dive planes create additional front-end downforce.

— tony markovich, Car and Driver, "Aston Martin Racing’s Vulcan Pro Track Pack Begs to Play Lap-Time Limbo," 29 June 2017
An active front grille with louvers that close at highway speed to enhance aerodynamic and open at low speed to provide maximum cooling to the fuel cell stack.

— chuck squatriglia, WIRED, "GM Says Electronics – Including Driverless Cars – Will ‘Reinvent the Automobile’," 9 Jan. 2008

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'louver.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of louver

Middle English lover, from Anglo-French

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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LOUVER Defined for English Language Learners

louver

noun

Definition of louver for English Language Learners

: an opening in a door or window that has one or more slanted strips to allow air to flow in and out while keeping out rain and sun
: one of the slanted strips of a louver