central heating

American  

noun

1. a system that supplies heat to an entire building from a single source through ducts or through pipes.

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central heating British  

noun

1. a system for heating the rooms of a building by means of radiators or air vents connected by pipes or ducts to a central source of heat

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Etymology

Origin of central heating

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Portable heaters can be an alternative to switching on your central heating, but they can pose a serious fire hazard if not used carefully.

From BBC

If you are staying in one room for a long time, you may want to use a portable electric heater instead of turning on your central heating system.

From BBC

The lift to her eighth-floor apartment often stops, the lights go out and sometimes the pumps maintaining pressure in the gas central heating fail.

From BBC

Woolley was president and chief executive of American Radiator, an early maker of radiators and a pioneer in developing central heating systems.

From The Wall Street Journal

He said Ukrainian cities, which mostly rely on central heating, should prepare contingency plans to prevent buildings from freezing in case their heating supply was destroyed.

From Barron's