Which window term is a projecting window that is supported from the exterior by brackets?

• A. Bow window
• B. Bay window
• C. Dormer
• D. Oriel

Answer: (D)

Focus on how the window projects and how it’s supported. An oriel window projects out from the wall and is carried by brackets or corbels on the exterior, typically on an upper floor, rather than being supported by the interior framing or by a roof or a simple exterior sill. That exterior-bracket support is the defining feature that matches this description.

A dormer sits in the roof plane with its own small roof; a bow window is a curved, rounded projection formed by a series of panes; a bay window projects to create a recess inside the room and is usually supported by a sturdy sill and framing at the base, not by exterior brackets.