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

More than half a century later, it’s still run by the Stephens family and features the same chicken, sausage, and ribs cooked hot and fast on an Alabama-style open pit with a giant brick chimney. —Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026

If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal, light it, and when the coals are white-gray with ash, pour them onto the charcoal grate, adding more charcoal, if necessary. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026

If your fireplace damper is no longer sealing properly, Gorbacz recommends a top-style chimney damper or a balloon-style chimney plug to reduce drafts. —Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026

The vents could be for furnaces, water heaters, dryers, chimneys, or even gas meter vents. —Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026

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