hearth

noun

ˈhärth 

1

a

: a brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace

b

: the floor of a fireplace

also : fireplace

c

: the lowest section of a furnace

especially : the section of a furnace on which the ore or metal is exposed to the flame or heat

2

: home

longed for the comforts of hearth and home

3

: a vital or creative center

the central hearth of occidental civilization

—A. L. Kroeber

Synonyms

• abode
• diggings
• domicile
• dwelling
• fireside
• habitation
• hearthstone
• home
• house
• lodging
• pad
• place
• quarters
• residence
• roof

Examples of hearth in a Sentence

They swept the ashes from the hearth.

all were welcome, friends and strangers alike, to their humble hearth

Recent Examples on the Web

So, rather than picturing cherry red and leprechaun green, imagine an emerald velvet loveseat set against a ballet-slipper-pink wall, or celery-green tweed chairs in front of a red brick hearth. —Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024

The roundhouses — one of which had almost 50 square meters (nearly 540 square feet) of floor space — had hearths and insulated straw and clay roofs. —Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

These excavations and surveys revealed four layers of ruins, as well as objects including huts, hearths and wooden structures, experts said. —Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024

Also, the kabocha squash for the kabocha squash brown butter served with the milk bread spends all day sitting in the top of the hearth before being blended with the brown butter. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

Old issues of Art + Auction, which Ms. Blouin had renamed Blouin Art + Auction, sat atop a chocolate coffee table near the living room hearth. —Jacob Bernstein, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024

Among the findings were a hearth, stakeholes, postholes, ditches, pits and leveling deposits, officials said. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024

Beyond the dining room sits an open kitchen, built around the large hearth that inspired the name. —The Arizona Republic, 1 Feb. 2024

Stone work and wood beams are a big part of the over-sized chef’s kitchen and hearth room which feature knotty pine cabinets, a huge island and breakfast bar, professional Wolf double ovens., a 6-burner gas cook top with griddle and pot filler. —Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English herth, from Old English heorth; akin to Old High German herd hearth, and probably to Sanskrit kūḍayāti he scorches

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hearth

• hearth and home
• open-hearth
• open-hearth process

Kids Definition

hearth

noun

ˈhärth 

1

a

: the area in front of a fireplace

b

: the floor of a fireplace

c

: the lowest section of a blast furnace

2

: home entry 1 sense 1a