Window Seal or Sill – Which Spelling Is Correct?

Some words in English sound very similar, and that can lead to confusion. This is the case of “Window seal” and “Window sill”. Both terms are valid, but they refer to different things. Read on. The answer to this question with helpful examples is coming next.

Window Seal or Sill – Which Spelling Is Correct?

When we say “window seal”, we are referring to something fixed around the edge of the window. While a “window sill” refers to a flat, horizontal piece, forming the base of the frame of a window. The context will determine what the intended word was.

Though “seal” and “sill” sounds are very much alike, and both terms refer to windows, these two expressions are not synonyms or interchangeable.

Window Seal

A “window seal” refers to a device used to prevent water or wind from seeping through the trim and glass. They are usually made from some type of rubber that has excellent weather resistance capabilities and is unaffected by heat, wind, and water.

When checking the Cambridge Dictionary, we find that a “seal” is a tight closure that secures against leakage. In this particular case, it is installed between the window pane and the frame.

“Seal” can also be used as a verb. It means to close a container so that nothing can enter or leave it. Furthermore, as a noun, it refers to an animal and also to a stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.

Let’s see some examples of how to use “Window seal” in a sentence:

1. I will tell you how to replace your double-glazed window seals.
2. My car’s window seal is cracked, so every time it rains everything inside gets wet.
3. We had to install window seals to keep the freezing wind out of the boys’ room.
4. I have heard that silicone is the best window seal.
5. Yesterday, I saw in the Hardware store an auto adhesive window seal we can use in the attic.
6. No window seal could prevent water seepage in a storm like this.

Window Sill

“Window Sill” is a term commonly used in architecture; it refers to a uniform, horizontal piece forming the base of the frame of a window. It is usually made out of wood. Its purpose is to prevent rainwater from draining towards the wall.

Thanks to the Cambridge Dictionary, we found out that the word “sill” has other meanings too. In a scientific context, “sill” refers to a layer of rock that is created when hot melted rock forces itself into spaces between other rocks.

However, it is most likely to see this word used in architecture or urban landscape contexts.

Let’s see now some examples of how to use “window sill” in a sentence:

1. I leaned on the window sill to see how he walked away from the house.
2. Firefighters finally rescued the cat that had become trapped on the window sill.
3. Sitting on the window sill, he could see the whole city. He was not afraid of falling.
4. Every time I come home, my dog is waiting on the window sill. It’s like he has a sixth sense.
5. My grandmother used to leave seeds on the windowsill to attract some birds.
6. I love this city. Wherever you look, all the window sills are full of flowers.

Which Is Used the Most?

To check on the popularity of a word or sentence, there’s no tool like the Google Ngram Viewer. We submitted these two terms to decide on their popularity levels and here are the results:

“Window sill” sees moderate use in the early 1900s, which declines gently throughout the 20^th century. The term rose up strongly at the beginning of the 21^st century until it returned to its initial levels in 2015.

On the other hand, “Window seal” has never seen much use. Therefore, its usage remained at very low levels during the same period.

Final Thoughts

“Window seal” and “window sill”, in addition to being correct terms, sound very similar. That being said, their meaning is different. While “window seal” refers to something fixed around the edge of the window, “window sill” refers to a flat piece forming the base of the frame of a window.