окно
okno
/ɐkˈno/
Definition
A window — an opening in a wall, usually covered with glass, that lets in light and air.
Example
Она открыла окно, чтобы впустить свежий воздух.
Show translation
She opened the window to let in fresh air.
Etymology
From Old East Slavic *окъно (okŭno), derived from *око (oko, "eye"), sharing its Proto-Slavic root with the Latin *oculus* and Greek *ὄμμα*. The conceptual link is poetic: a window is the "eye" of a house, the opening through which a building "sees" the world — and the world peers in.
Cultural note
Windows carry rich cultural weight in Russian life and literature. The phrase «смотреть в окно» (to stare out the window) is a stock image of melancholy or longing in Russian poetry, from Pushkin to Pasternak. In Soviet-era apartment blocks (хрущёвки), the small windows were a frequent complaint — and a symbol of cramped living. Learners should note that окно can also mean a free slot or gap in a schedule in modern colloquial Russian (e.g., «у меня окно между парами» — "I have a free period between classes").