chimney

noun

chim·​ney ˈchim-nē 

plural chimneys

1

dialect : fireplace, hearth

2

: a vertical structure incorporated into a building and enclosing a flue or flues that carry off smoke

especially : the part of such a structure extending above a roof

3

: smokestack

4

: a tube usually of glass placed around a flame (as of a lamp)

5

: something resembling a chimney: such as

a

: a narrow cleft or passage in rock

b

: a tall column of rock on the ocean floor that is formed by the precipitation of minerals from superheated water issuing from a hydrothermal vent and rising through the column of rock

chimneylike

ˈchim-nē-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of chimney in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These allow the stove’s chimney to pass through the tent without damaging the fabric. —Wes Siler, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024

The Outdoors Gaps around windows, your front door, and your chimney provide an opportunity for outdoor pollutants to sneak in. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024

The chimney is made of original bricks, including one that bears the fingerprints of the laborer who shaped it by hand, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Eric Kolenich. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024

If the chimney is structurally unsound, cracks also can leak carbon monoxide into the home. —Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French chiminee, from Late Latin caminata, from Latin caminus furnace, fireplace, from Greek kaminos; perhaps akin to Greek kamara vault

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chimney

• chimney breast
• chimney pot
• chimney stack
• chimney sweep
• chimney swift
• smoke like a chimney

Kids Definition

chimney

noun

chim·​ney ˈchim-nē 

plural chimneys

1

: a vertical structure extending above the roof of a building for carrying off smoke

2

: a tube usually of glass around a flame (as of a lamp)

3

: something resembling a chimney