chimney corner: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, Archaic, Historical
Quick answer
What does “chimney corner” mean?
The space on either side of a fireplace, often a recessed or sheltered area where one can sit close to the fire.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The space on either side of a fireplace, often a recessed or sheltered area where one can sit close to the fire.
A place of warmth, comfort, and domestic intimacy; by extension, a symbol of home, family, and traditional, cozy domestic life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally archaic in both varieties. The architectural feature itself is more commonly associated with older British cottages and houses, so the term appears more frequently in British historical and literary contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties carry strong connotations of tradition, warmth, and a bygone era. In American usage, it might also evoke specific historical periods like Colonial times.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary spoken or written language in both regions. Found almost exclusively in literature, historical descriptions, or poetic language.
Grammar
How to Use “chimney corner” in a Sentence
sit in the chimney cornergather round the chimney cornerby the chimney cornerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chimney corner” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The chimney-corner settle was worn smooth by generations.
American English
- She cherished the chimney-corner memories of her grandmother's house.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, architectural, or literary studies when describing domestic spaces of the past.
Everyday
Virtually never used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in architecture and heritage conservation to describe a specific fireplace design.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chimney corner”
- Using it to refer to the top or exterior part of a chimney. Confusing it with 'chimney breast' (the projecting part of the wall containing the flue).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related. An 'inglenook' is a specific, often larger, recessed space around a fireplace, which includes the 'chimney corner'. 'Chimney corner' can refer to a smaller, more specific spot within that space.
Yes, but only if you are aiming for a literary, historical, or deliberately old-fashioned tone. It would sound odd in a text about contemporary interior design.
No, it is very rare in modern English and is considered an archaic or specialist term.
It is primarily a noun, specifically a compound noun. It can sometimes be used attributively as a noun modifier (e.g., chimney-corner tales).
The space on either side of a fireplace, often a recessed or sheltered area where one can sit close to the fire.
Chimney corner is usually literary, archaic, historical in register.
Chimney corner: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɪmni ˌkɔːnə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɪmni ˌkɔːrnər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country and in his own house (Biblical, sometimes associated with the domestic setting of the chimney corner).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old CHIMNEY, and in the CORNER next to it, a cozy chair. The CHIMNEY CORNER is the warm corner by the chimney.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE HEART OF THE HOME IS THE FIREPLACE; COMFORT AND SAFETY ARE PHYSICAL PROXIMITY TO WARMTH.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern use of the term 'chimney corner'?