defenestration
1 synonym for defenestration, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The act of throwing someone or something out of a window.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use defenestration
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
defenestration of Prague
act of defenestration
sudden defenestration
the defenestration of a leader
The literal sense is formal or historical, and the figurative sense is often used in journalism.
Etymology
The word comes from New Latin defenestratio, built from Latin elements meaning out, window and a suffix for an action. The verb defenestrate was formed later.
Full origin of defenestration →Frequently asked questions
What does defenestration mean?
It means the act of throwing something or someone out of a window. In British use it can also mean the high-profile removal of a person from an organisation.
What were the Defenestrations of Prague?
They were historical acts of political dissent in which people were thrown out of windows.
Where does the word defenestration come from?
It comes from New Latin defenestratio, from Latin words meaning out and window.
