louver

louver — noun

1. a door, window, or vent covered with angled strips that let air and some light t

1.nounC2
Definition

a door, window, or vent covered with angled strips that let air and some light through while helping keep out rain, strong sun, or direct views from outside

Example

During the storm, Sivan shut the bathroom louver to stop blowing rain.

shut the louver to keep rain out

Warm air escaped through the roof louver above the school kitchen.

air escaped through the roof louver

Common collocations
  • metal louver
  • roof louver
  • bathroom louver
  • air through the louver
Synonyms
  • vent

    a broader term for an opening that moves air; it does not necessarily use angled slats

  • shutter

    often a more solid or hinged covering, not a slatted airflow panel

  • jalousie

    usually refers to a slatted window, especially one made with glass panels

Grammar Patterns

a metal louver above the door

air passed through the louver

shut the bathroom louver during a storm

Usage Note

Usually names the whole vent, window, or panel rather than one piece inside it. Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to a single slat.

2. one of the narrow angled strips inside a louver, used to let air pass and keep w

2.nounC2
Definition

one of the narrow angled strips inside a louver, used to let air pass and keep water out

Example

Hugo replaced a cracked louver before the rainy season began.

replace one damaged louver slat

One loose louver rattled loudly whenever the delivery truck passed.

a loose louver can rattle

Common collocations
  • cracked louver
  • loose louver
  • top louver
  • replace a louver
Synonyms
  • slat

    the everyday word for a narrow strip, without the special ventilation sense

  • blade

    used for thin rigid parts, especially in technical descriptions

  • fin

    a more technical word for a projecting strip that guides air

Grammar Patterns

replace a cracked louver

paint each louver by hand

the top louver bent inward

Usage Note

Often appears in repair or damage contexts when one part of the larger structure is discussed. Distinguish from sense 1, which names the whole panel or opening.

Word family

  • louvered
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Louver is more specific than vent because a vent can be any opening that moves air, while a louver uses angled slats to guide that airflow and often block rain or direct views. Shutter usually suggests a more solid or hinged covering for a window, not a row of narrow slats. Jalousie overlaps with louver in window design, but jalousie often names the whole slatted window, especially one made with glass panels. Slat is narrower still: it names one strip inside the structure, so it fits louver sense 2 better than sense 1. In repair talk, the surrounding phrase usually tells you whether louver means the whole panel or just one slat.

vent ↗shutter ↗jalousie ↗slat ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • metal louver
  • damaged louver
  • vent louver

Phrases

  • install a louver
  • replace a louver

Prepositions

  • through the louver
  • behind the louver