Ruiten

Ruiten is a Dutch term that refers to the individual panes of glass in a window. The word is used to describe the sections into which a window or façade is divided by glazing bars or muntins. In historic and traditional Dutch architecture, windows were commonly made up of multiple ruieten, producing a grid of small panes rather than a single large pane.

Historically, the concept of ruiten reflects the construction and glazing practices that organized windows into regular compartments. The size and arrangement of ruieten could vary, with two, three, or more columns and rows being common in regional architecture. When a window has several shared mullions or muntins, it is described as having multiple ruieten.

In addition to its architectural sense, the term ruit (the singular) is also used in other contexts to denote a geometric shape such as a square or diamond. In textiles and design, ruiten can describe patterns composed of squares or check-like motifs, though this use is distinct from the architectural sense of window panes.

See also: raam (window), muntstuk (muntin), glas-in-lood (stained glass), ruitpatroon (check pattern)