hearthstone

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a flat stone forming part or all of a hearth

   The kettle stood on the warm hearthstone beside the fire.

2. 2
   noun

   the fireside or home, especially as a symbol of domestic life

   After years abroad, he longed to return to his own hearthstone.

3. 3
   noun

   a soft stone or prepared block formerly used for whitening steps and scouring floors

   The maid rubbed the doorstep with hearthstone until the surface looked pale and clean.

A compound of hearth + stone. It first denotes the literal stone slab beside or beneath a domestic fire; by association the hearthstone came to represent the home itself. A separate historical use names a soft scouring material used on hearths, floors, and doorsteps.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images