mantel

or man·tle

[ man-tl ]

/ ˈmæn tl /

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See synonyms for mantel on Thesaurus.com

noun

a construction framing the opening of a fireplace and usually covering part of the chimney breast in a more or less decorative manner.

Also called mantelshelf. a shelf above a fireplace opening.

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Also called man·tel·piece

[man-tl-pees], /ˈmæn tlˌpis/, mantlepiece.

Origin of mantel

1480–90; earlier mantell mantelet; variant of mantle

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mantel

mantel , mantle

Words nearby mantel

mantapa, Mantaro, manteau, Manteca, Mantegna, mantel, mantelboard, mantelet, mantelletta, mantellone, mantelpiece

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT MANTEL

What does mantel mean?

A mantel is the frame around the opening of a fireplace.

Mantel also commonly refers to a shelf above the fireplace (which may or may not be attached to the other kind of mantel). This shelf can also be called a mantelshelf.

Both senses of mantel can also be spelled mantle. (The word mantle has many other meanings.)

Synonyms for mantel include mantlepiece, mantelboard, and chimneypiece.

Example: This mantel will need to be replaced since the wood is rotting, but the fireplace itself looks solid.

Where does mantel come from?

The first records of the word mantel come from the late 1400s. It’s a variant of the word mantle, which is recorded before 900 and ultimately derives from the Latin mantellum, from mantum, meaning “coat” or “cloak.”

A mantel can be thought of as a kind of protective coat for a fireplace. Mantels were once often extensions of the manteltree, a large piece of wood or stone that went above a fireplace to support the structure. Today, though, most mantels are decorative, meaning they’re not a structural element of the fireplace or chimney. Instead, they’re simply constructed over top. Mantels are usually made of wood or stone.

The kind of mantel that’s a shelf above the fireplace is often a place where people display photos, clocks, and decorative objects. People who celebrate Christmas often hang stockings from this mantel.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to mantel?

mantle (alternate spelling)

What are some synonyms for mantel?

What are some words that share a root or word element with mantel?

What are some words that often get used in discussing mantel?

How is mantel used in real life?

Mantel is perhaps most commonly used to refer to the shelf above a fireplace.

how can anyone hate smug villagers….this one literally has a self portrait on the mantel pic.twitter.com/rSoUGULMQU

— Katie Chironis (@kchironis) May 9, 2020

i'm getting a fireplace just so I can hang this above the mantel pic.twitter.com/2IlUdkwlTF

— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) February 20, 2018

Pretty should that thing needs to be framed and placed on the mantel above the fire place for sure

— Matt Wittwer (@MattyWittwer) January 18, 2019

Try using mantel!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym for mantel?

A. mantlepiece
B. chimneypiece
C. chimney
D. mantelboard

How to use mantel in a sentence

Her mantel is adorned with a taper candle in a clay wine bottle alongside pillars and food-shaped candles on each side.
Candles in funky and interesting shapes add visual interest and fun to your home decor|Helen Carefoot|September 2, 2021|Washington Post
If you opt for a caricature, make room on the fireplace mantel for a cartoonish rendering of your masked face.
Theme parks aim to keep visitors safe — and screaming|Andrea Sachs|May 21, 2021|Washington Post
Matthew would fly to our mantel, pick up in his talons a small soapstone bear, fly over Sam and drop it on her head.
Gene Weingarten: Confessions of a compassionate hit man|Gene Weingarten|February 25, 2021|Washington Post
However, before you make room on the mantel for a framed image of your Vietnamese pangolin or Tasmanian devil, some research is required.
A virtual menagerie: How conservation and rescue efforts can connect us with wildlife around the world|Andrea Sachs|January 15, 2021|Washington Post

Some rest flush against a mantel, while others are made by graduating the ribbon, loop by loop, to make very large bows.
Seven ways to elevate your holiday decorating, according to the pros at Biltmore|Virginia Brown|December 10, 2020|Washington Post
In her memoir, Giving Up the Ghost, Mantel writes of her own childhood encounters with the paranormal.
Hilary Mantel Visits the Twilight Zone|Jennie Yabroff|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mantel did live in Saudi Arabia with her husband for nearly a decade, and this piece was originally published as memoir.
Hilary Mantel Visits the Twilight Zone|Jennie Yabroff|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Author Hilary Mantel is under fire for writing a story about killing Margaret Thatcher.
The Strange World of Political Assassination Fantasies|James Poulos|September 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His mantel is chock full of Oscars and Grammys (three of each).
Giorgio Moroder, Dance Music Legend, on Remixing Coldplay’s ‘Midnight’ and ‘Crazy’ Lana Del Rey|Douglas Wolk|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nick Lord, 25, wins commission to paint Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel for a portrait which will hang in the British Library.
Controversial Semi-Clothed Kate Middleton Artist Wins Big British Award|Tom Sykes|December 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When he was gone, Isaacson stood by the mantel-piece for nearly five minutes, thinking and motionless.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
The lady of the roses went to the mirror over the untidy mantel piece, and looked at herself, as she answered.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Over the mantel in our parlor we have a picture of the lion's den, and it is one of the choicest of our family treasures.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
We don't even have real big prizes—just a dinky little spoon sitting up on the mantel-piece to excite us as if it was a tiara.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Moodily he stood there, one hand on the high mantel shelf, one foot upon an andiron, his eyes upon the flames.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for mantel

mantel

less commonly mantle

/ (ˈmæntəl) /

noun

a wooden or stone frame around the opening of a fireplace, together with its decorative facing

Also called: mantel shelf a shelf above this frame

Word Origin for mantel

C15: from French, variant of mantle

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

mantel

or man·tle

Origin of mantel

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mantel

Words nearby mantel

MORE ABOUT MANTEL

What does mantel mean?

Where does mantel come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is mantel used in real life?

Try using mantel!

Words related to mantel

How to use mantel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mantel

less commonly mantle

Word Origin for mantel