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Meaning & use

fireplace

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈfaɪəpleɪs/
US/ˈfaɪərpleɪs/

Meaning

  1. nouncountable

    An open space built into a wall where you can light a fire to warm a room.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say a fireplace, two fireplaces, etc.

    Patterns

    • light a fire in the fireplace
    • sit by the fireplace
    • a brick/stone fireplace

    We sat by the fireplace and told stories.

    The living room has a large stone fireplace.

    She cleaned the ashes out of the fireplace.

Word forms

pluralfireplaces

Common combinations

open fireplace
An open fireplace can make a room feel cozy but also smoky.
electric fireplace
They installed an electric fireplace that looks like real flames.
fireplace mantel
She put family photos on the fireplace mantel.
light a fire in the fireplace
He lit a fire in the fireplace on the first cold night.
sit around the fireplace
The family sat around the fireplace after dinner.

Synonyms and how they differ

hearth
Hearth specifically means the floor area inside or in front of a fireplace, not the whole structure.
chimney
A chimney is the vertical pipe that carries smoke away; it is not the place where the fire burns.

Word family

fire noun
The flames and heat produced by burning.
place noun
A particular area or position.

Commonly confused: fireplace or hearth?

fireplace vs hearth

Hearth is the floor of a fireplace or the area in front of it, while fireplace is the whole opening and structure.

Practice

We sat ___ the fireplace to keep warm.

Make it your own

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