'windscreen' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'wind' and 'screen', where 'wind' meant 'moving air' and 'screen' meant 'a protective covering'.

'wind' comes from Old English 'wind', and 'screen' comes via Middle English 'screene' (from Old French or related Germanic sources); the compound 'windscreen' emerged in English in the late 19th to early 20th century to denote a protective screen and later became commonly used for the front glass of motor vehicles.

Initially it meant 'a screen to protect from the wind' (general protective barrier); over time the term specialized to refer primarily to the front window (glass) of a motor vehicle.