overmantel

American  

[oh-ver-man-tl] / ˈoʊ vərˌmæn tl /

adjective

1. situated above a mantelpiece.

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noun

1. an ornament or panel situated above a mantelpiece.

overmantel British  

/ ˈəʊvəˌmæntəl /

noun

1. an ornamental shelf over a mantelpiece, often with a mirror

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Etymology

Origin of overmantel

First recorded in 1880–85; over- + mantel

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overmantel

The 16th Century linen-fold panelling, the fireplace overmantel and the carved and moulded ceiling beams were dismantled, crated up and sent to America.

From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2017

The Commander is standing in front of the fireless fireplace, back to it, one elbow on the carved wooden overmantel, other hand in his pocket.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

In this instance the carved consoles support the shelf rather than the panel of the overmantel, which engages neither the shelf nor the cornice with its prominent double denticulated molding.

From The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia by Frank Cousins

Moreover, the trim of each door occupies such a breadth of wall space that the fireplace and overmantel are narrowed, the latter taking the form of a vertical rather than a horizontal oblong.

From The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia by Frank Cousins

The overmantel area is wallpapered, as are the portions of the room’s wall occupied by the window facing the front yard and the wall between the library and central hallway.

From Green Spring Farm Fairfax County, Virginia by Nan Netherton