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

The only thing better than a cozy fireplace is one that doesn’t need, soot, wood, or chimney cleaning. — Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2026

Once created, these assemblages might be concealed beneath doorways or in chimneys or instead worn on the body as a form of portable protection. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026

What is worse, pollutants in the upper atmosphere remain much longer than those emitted by cars and factory chimneys close to the ground. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Using rope, homemade traps, and their chimney, Jason successfully lures a small squirrel with bits of Cassidy’s meat. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 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