chimney

Where does the word "chimney" come from? It comes from Latin caminus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Chimney’s story begins in Latin: caminus meant “furnace, oven.” From Greek 'kaminos', a kiln. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cheminee. First meant the fireplace itself, then the flue. It reached English by 1300s as chimney. Narrowed to the stack that carries smoke up. Today, chimney means a vertical pipe carrying smoke from a fire.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient caminus "furnace, oven", from Greek 'kaminos', a kiln.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cheminee "fireplace, flue", first meant the fireplace itself, then the flue.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s chimney "fireplace", narrowed to the stack that carries smoke up.