chimney

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A vertical pipe or structure that carries smoke from a fire up and out of a building.

   Smoke rose gently from the cottage chimney.

2. 2
   noun

   A tall pipe that releases smoke or waste gases from a factory.

   The factory chimneys poured black smoke into the sky.

3. 3
   noun

   A narrow vertical crack in a rock face that climbers can climb.

   The climbers squeezed up a steep chimney in the cliff.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Chimney entered Middle English through Old French from late Latin caminata, perhaps shortened from camera caminata, “room with a fireplace.” This derives through Latin caminus, “forge or furnace,” from Greek kaminos, “oven”; accordingly, chimney initially meant a fireplace or furnace rather than the flue above it.

From Middle English chymeneye, chymneye, chymene, from Old French cheminee, from Late Latin camīnāta, from Latin camīnus, from Ancient Greek κάμῑνος (kámīnos, “furnace”). Doublet of chimenea.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary