Sash the Band and Sash the Window Are the Same Word
A sash is a band worn over the shoulder. A sash window takes its name from the same source.
A sash is a band of cloth worn round the waist or over the shoulder, and also the sliding frame of a window. Both come from Arabic *shash*, a length of muslin used for turbans, brought back by English travellers in the 1500s. The window sense arrived because the glazed frame was thought of as a band or strip within the opening; *sash* was originally *shash* and the spelling drifted. A sash window balances on hidden weights, which is why it stays wherever you push it.
- A cloth band. *A ceremonial sash.*
- A window frame. *A sash window.*
- Shash — the older spelling. *Shash.*
- Sash cord. *A sash cord.*
- Arabic — *shash*, muslin. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | sash | A sash. |
| Plural | sashes | Sashes. |
| Compound | sash window | A sash window. |
| Compound | sash cord | A sash cord. |
| Arabic | shash | Muslin. |
- She wore a red sash.Clothing.
- The sash window stuck.Building.
- Shash meant muslin.Etymology.
How a sash window works
- Two frames slide vertically past each other
- Cords run over pulleys at the top of the frame
- Counterweights hidden in the box frame balance each sash
- The weight matches the sash, so it stays where you leave it
- A broken cord is the usual reason a sash will not stay up
Arabic *shash*, muslin or a turban cloth, recorded in English from the 1500s.
Why is a window frame called a sash?
From the same Arabic word for a band of cloth, applied to the strip-like glazed frame within the opening.
Why does a sash window stay open?
Hidden counterweights on cords balance the weight of each frame exactly.