From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtransomtran‧som /ˈtrænsəm/ noun [countable] 1 a bar of wood that forms the top of the back part of a boat2 TBBa bar of wood or stone which separates a door from a window above it, or which divides a window into two parts3 American EnglishTBB a small window over a door or over a larger window SYN fanlight British English
Examples from the Corpus
transom• Above, its transom is covered with plywood and nailed tightly shut.• We had no trouble getting up the tree, but the transom was too high for Mrs Boatwright.• The Wheel was made fast, resting on the transom and trailing in the water.• We climbed out the transom and walked through the cool fall night to our cars at the high school.• Leaning over the transom, Whitworth succumbed to his seasickness.• In the arthritic wind, we hung a fishing line over the transom and dragged it behind us.• Reaching the transom, he tied the catch net to the portside rudder.Origin transom (1300-1400) Probably from Latin transtrum, from trans “across” 