fortochka means A small ventilation window, spanning the frame of one window pane, that opens on hinges independently of the whole window, common in Russia, other post-Soviet states and Finland. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
fortochka is pronounced /ˈfɔːtət͡ʃkə/.
Why “fortochka” is a great word
FORTOCHKA — [Noun] A small, hinged ventilation window set within a larger, often sealed, window frame, common in Russian and Finnish architecture. From Russian фо́рточка (fórtočka), from German Pförtchen (“little door”), diminutive of Pforte (“gate”). Unlike a casement, which is the primary window itself, or a transom, often a fixed light-catcher above, the fortochka is a subordinate hatch for air alone. It is the frost-rimmed crack open in a double-paned window during deep winter, the discreet channel for the scent of lilacs from a courtyard, the narrow slit through which a secret can be whispered—a minor engineering of atmosphere in a sealed world.
Etymology
From Russian фо́рточка (fórtočka), from German Pförtchen (“little door”), diminutive of Pforte (“gate”).
noun
- A small ventilation window, spanning the frame of one window pane, that opens on hinges independently of the whole window, common in Russia, other post-Soviet states and Finland.