fireback

American

[fahyuhr-bak] / ˈfaɪərˌbæk /

noun

a piece, lining the rear of a fireplace, usually of cast iron.
the rear of a fireplace.

fireback British

/ ˈfaɪəˌbæk /

noun

Also called: reredos. an ornamental iron slab against the back wall of a hearth
any pheasant of the genus Lophura , of SE Asia

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fireback

First recorded in 1870–75; fire + back ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

FIREBACK, the name given to the ornamented slab of cast iron protecting the back of a fireplace.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 4 "Finland" to "Fleury, Andre" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023