n.
(pl. chimneys)
- a vertical pipe which conducts smoke and gases up from a fire or furnace.
▸a chimney stack.
- a glass tube protecting the flame of a lamp.
- a very steep narrow cleft by which a rock face may be climbed.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. cheminee, from late L. caminata, perh. from camera caminata ‘room with a fireplace’, from L. caminus ‘forge, furnace’, from Gk kaminos ‘oven’.