'rooflight' originates from the combination of 'roof' and 'light', where 'roof' refers to the top covering of a building and 'light' refers to natural illumination.

The term 'rooflight' evolved from the concept of 'skylight', which has been used since the 17th century to describe windows set into roofs.

Initially, it meant 'a window in the roof', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.