fireplace

[ fahyuhr-pleys ]

noun

1. the part of a chimney that opens into a room and in which fuel is burned; hearth.
2. any open structure, usually of masonry, for keeping a fire, as at a campsite.

fireplace

/ ˈfaɪəˌpleɪs /

noun

1. an open recess in a wall of a room, at the base of a chimney, etc, for a fire; hearth
2. an authorized place or installation for outside cooking, esp by a roadside

Word History and Origins

Origin of fireplace¹

First recorded in 1645–55; fire + place

Example Sentences

On an overcast Thursday in early October, Springfield’s home is socked-in under a marine layer, but in his backyard gazebo, a cozy fireplace is crackling.

From Los Angeles Times

The speakers — two central Ohio Republican voters and one Independent — addressed the handful of attendees huddled by the farthest wall from the studio's entrance around the stone brick fireplace and a black podium outfitted with a "Bernie Moreno thinks he knows better than Ohioans" sign.

From Salon

A man who murdered a toddler by throwing her at a fireplace has been told he must spend at least 20 years in jail.

From BBC

Her skull had been fractured after she hit a fireplace.

From BBC

Armstrong initially blamed Ali Jayden's one-year old brother for causing the fatal wound by throwing a plastic toy at her which caused her to fall against a fireplace.

From BBC

Related Words

• chimney
• furnace
• stove