chimney

noun

chim·ney | \ ˈchim-nē

plural chimneys

Definition of chimney

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

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Examples of chimney in a Sentence

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Engineers debate whether current building codes are enough to keep chimneys safe, and whether reinforcing old ones simply creates a single unit that will fall over. — Steve Carney, latimes.com, "The 9 earthquake hazards lurking in your home," 13 July 2019 Homeowner Marilyn McKee was inside her home when her chimney collapsed. — CBS News, "Some California residents so rattled by big earthquakes they're sleeping outside," 8 July 2019 The tiled courtyard at the entrance resembles an underwater forest; the roof terrace has chimneys shaped like helmets. — Raphael Minder, BostonGlobe.com, "What’s it like to live in Barcelona’s most famous Gaudí home? A bit inconvenient," 29 June 2019 These chimney-like structures allow tube worms, clams, mussels, and other organisms to survive not via photosynthesis but chemosynthesis, in which microbes convert chemicals released by the vents into energy. — Paul Chesley, National Geographic, "Our oceans are under attack by climate change, overfishing," 21 Mar. 2019 Though cabins often appear in Mr. Ross’s landscapes, they are rarely depicted with chimneys (another sign of people). — Larry Buchanan, New York Times, "Where Are All the Bob Ross Paintings? We Found Them.," 12 July 2019 Leonel Rondon, 18, of Lawrence, died Sept. 13 after the chimney of an exploding house crashed onto his car and crushed him. — Washington Post, "Family of teen killed during gas explosions settles lawsuit," 9 July 2019 There were no fire or injuries reported, but the lightning caused a large hole in the side of the home, damage to the chimney, and electrical damage, Ranno said. — Shafaq Patel, BostonGlobe.com, "2 Mass. houses damaged by lightning strikes Sunday afternoon," 30 June 2019 The teenager, who has not been identified, got locked out of her family’s Inglewood home and decided to climb through the chimney to get inside, a neighbor told ABC affiliate KABC. — Char Adams, PEOPLE.com, "14-Year-Old Girl Gets Stuck in Chimney After Locking Herself Out of Family's California Home," 7 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chimney.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.