Where does “window seat” come from?

window seat (English) comes from English window, from Middle English windowe, from Old Norse vindauga, from Old Norse vindr, from Proto-Germanic windaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wéh₁n̥ts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wḗh₁ti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁- — to blow.

window seat (English): A typically soft seat placed in a recess, for a window, in a wall, and filling the recess

Definitions

  1. A typically soft seat placed in a recess, for a window, in a wall, and filling the recess

Ancestry of “window seat”, step by step

window seat traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English window

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwindowAn opening, usually covered by one or more panes...
2Middle Englishwindowe
3Old Norsevindaugawindow
4Old Norsevindrwind; awry; second/third-person singular present...
5Proto-Germanicwindazwind
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wéh₁n̥tsblowing; that which blows; the wind, air
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wḗh₁tito blow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂weh₁-to blow

via English seat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishseatSomething to be sat upon; A location or site; The...
2Middle Englishsete
3Old Englishsǣtehouse
4Proto-Germanicsētijąseat
5Proto-Indo-Europeansḗd-to sit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂wḗh₁tiEvery word from Proto-Indo-European h₂wéh₁n̥ts