double-glazed

IPA/ˌdʌbl ˈɡleɪzd/
IPA/ˌdʌbl ˈɡleɪzd/

double-glazed — adjective

1. describes a window that is made using two separate glass panes pressed together

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a window that is made using two separate glass panes pressed together with a thin sealed space sandwiched between them, so the room stays warmer and less outside noise comes through.

Example

The old building had single-pane windows, so the landlord replaced them with double-glazed ones.

contrast with single-pane / single-glazed

Élise noticed the double-glazed windows in her new flat made the bedroom quieter at night.

Common collocations
  • double-glazed window
  • double-glazed pane
  • double-glazed glass
  • double-glazed unit
Synonyms
  • double-pane

    the usual term in American English; identical meaning

  • double-paned

    less common variant of double-pane, used attributively

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

double-glazed + noun

be double-glazed

Usage Note

This sense describes the construction of the window itself. Frequently used attributively before 'window', 'pane', or 'glass' as in 'double-glazed window'.

Common Mistakes

The house is double-glazed' (when describing the whole building).
The windows are double-glazed.
Use sense 2 ('a double-glazed house') when referring to the building.

2. describes a house, flat, room, or other building that has had double-glazed wind

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a house, flat, room, or other building that has had double-glazed windows fitted, so that heat stays inside and outside noise is reduced.

Example

The estate agent advertised the one-bedroom apartment as fully double-glazed.

adverb: fully double-glazed

Rafael wanted a double-glazed house because his previous flat had been freezing in winter.

reason clause: because + contrast with previous experience

Common collocations
  • fully double-glazed
  • double-glazed house
  • double-glazed flat
  • double-glazed room
  • double-glazed throughout
Synonyms
  • insulated

    broader term; double-glazed is a specific method of insulation

  • thermally efficient

    more technical; focuses on heat retention rather than window type

Grammar Patterns

be double-glazed

fully double-glazed + noun

Usage Note

This sense describes the building or room, not the windows themselves. It is commonly used predicatively ('the house is double-glazed') or attributively with a noun for a building type ('a double-glazed flat').

Common Mistakes

I need a double-glazed pane for the broken window' (describing the glass construction).
I need a double-glazed window.
When talking about the window's own construction, use sense 1.

Word family

  • double-glaze
    verbB2
  • double-glazing
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Double-glazed is the standard British term for a window with two layers of glass and a sealed air gap. Double-pane is the American English equivalent; both describe the same construction but differ in regional preference. Triple-glazed adds a third glass layer for even better insulation — common in colder climates like Scandinavia. Single-glazed has only one pane of glass and is now rare in modern buildings due to poor energy efficiency. All three terms describe the window unit itself (sense 1), not the building. For example: 'We replaced the single-glazed sash windows with double-glazed ones' suggests the building now has better-insulated windows, while 'The house is triple-glazed' uses sense 2 to describe the building.

double-panetriple-glazedsingle-glazed

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • double-glazed throughout

Etymology

LatinFrenchOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

A compound of 'double' (from Latin 'duplus', meaning two-fold, via French) and 'glazed' (from Middle English 'glasen', meaning to fit with glass, from Old English 'glæs'). The term entered common use in the mid-20th century as residential builders adopted sealed double-pane window units for better insulation.