sill

noun

ˈsil 

1

: a horizontal piece (such as a timber) that forms the lowest member or one of the lowest members of a framework or supporting structure: such as

a

: the horizontal member at the base of a window

b

: the threshold of a door

2

: a tabular body of igneous rock injected while molten between sedimentary or volcanic beds or along foliation planes of metamorphic rocks

3

: a submerged ridge at relatively shallow depth separating the basins of two bodies of water

Examples of sill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At dusk, cats perching on window sills are increasingly catching our eye. —Jessica Pierce, TIME, 23 June 2024

Every spring and fall, my father would sit backwards out the kitchen window, his butt hanging over the sill, to wash the outside panes. —John Ficarra, New York Daily News, 16 June 2024

Spray these repellents around entry points, window sills and other areas where spiders may enter or congregate. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024

An elegant planter adds interest to a window sill or bookshelf. —Barbara Haddock Taylor, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sille, from Old English syll; akin to Old High German swelli beam, threshold

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sill

noun

ˈsil 

1

: a horizontal piece (as a timber) that forms the lowest part of a supporting structure: as

a

: the horizontal piece at the base of a window

b

: the timber or stone at the foot of a door : threshold

2

: a flat mass of igneous rock injected while melted between other rocks