vasistas

French

FWOTD – 10 January 2013

Etymology

Attested since 1760, and early on spelled wass-ist-dass (in occurrences from 1770 and 1776), from German was ist das? (literally “what is that?”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.zis.tas/ ~ /va.zis.tɑs/

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Noun

vasistas m (invariable)

1. transom window (window above a door or another window)
   • 1857, Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary […]‎^[1], Paris: Michel Lévy Frères:

     À peine assise dans son coin, elle ferma les yeux et les rouvrit au bas de la côte, où elle reconnut de loin Félicité, qui se tenait en vedette devant la maison du maréchal. Hivert retint ses chevaux, et la cuisinière, se haussant jusqu'au vasistas, dit mystérieusement: […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1938, Francis Carco, L’Homme de Minuit:

     Jim manœuvra le cordon d’un vasistas, mais l’ouverture donnait sur la loge de Gaby Million où la vedette avait laissé ses chiens. Les bêtes se mirent à aboyer.

     Jim maneuvered a rope from the transom, but the opening overlooked the lodge where the star Gaby Million had left her dogs. The creatures began to bark.

2. fortochka (small ventilation window)

Descendants

• → Italian: vasistas
• → Turkish: vasistas

Turkish

Etymology

From French vasistas, from German was ist das? (literally “what is that?”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vasisˈtas/

Noun

vasistas (definite accusative vasistası, plural vasistaslar)

1. transom window (window above a door or another window)
2. bottom hung window, trap window
3. fortochka (small ventilation window)

Further reading

• “vasistas”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu