noun
mantel
MAN-tuhl/ˈmæntl/
A shelf or decorative facing above a fireplace.
A clock rests on the wooden mantel above the fireplace.
Etymology
Mantiltre named a supporting beam above a fireplace, the architectural predecessor of today's shelf. It literally combined “mantle” and “tree” (meaning “beam”), but the intended meaning of “mantle” is unclear.
In context
hussy, or the Marquis of Kilbenham who is a thorough paced scoundrel. The wedding, however, promises to be a fashionable one, and--" He stopped midway, rose, and stood against the mantel piece, staring into the empty fireplace.
More examples
- She dusts the mantel before putting the candles back.
- The carved stone mantel frames the top of the fireplace.
- Both fireplaces have wooden mantels.
Forms
mantel · mantels
Similar words
- mantelpiece
- Another name for the same fireplace shelf or decorative facing.
- shelf
- A general horizontal ledge, not specifically one above a fireplace.