Window Function
A weighting function applied to finite signal frames to control boundary discontinuities and trade main-lobe width against spectral leakage.
Signal Processing Context
A window function weights a finite frame before spectral analysis to control discontinuities at frame boundaries. Hann, Hamming, and Blackman windows provide different trade-offs between main-lobe width and side-lobe attenuation and are normally considered together with frame overlap.
Measurement Boundary
Windowing does not eliminate spectral leakage. It redistributes leakage and also affects frequency resolution, coherent gain, and amplitude or power normalization.