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

Nests in dryer vents and chimneys, or near electrical equipment or outdoor lighting, increase the risk of fire. Noise. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2025

Entire blocks with nothing left but chimneys — tombstones for the houses that had stood there. —Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025

The big steam boiler chimney (fired by coal) was demolished. —Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025

With its distinctive bulbous body and tall, narrow chimney, the freestanding, front-loading outdoor fireplace retains and radiates heat more effectively than an open fire pit. —Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025

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