mantel

or man·tle

[ man-tl ]

noun

1. a construction framing the opening of a fireplace and usually covering part of the chimney breast in a more or less decorative manner.
2. Also called mantelshelf. a shelf above a fireplace opening.

mantel

/ ˈmæntəl /

noun

1. a wooden or stone frame around the opening of a fireplace, together with its decorative facing
2. Also calledmantel shelf a shelf above this frame

Word History and Origins

Origin of mantel¹

1480–90; earlier mantell mantelet; variant of mantle

Word History and Origins

Origin of mantel¹

C15: from French, variant of mantle

Example Sentences

Her mantel is adorned with a taper candle in a clay wine bottle alongside pillars and food-shaped candles on each side.

From Washington Post

If you opt for a caricature, make room on the fireplace mantel for a cartoonish rendering of your masked face.

From 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.

From 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.

From Washington Post

Some rest flush against a mantel, while others are made by graduating the ribbon, loop by loop, to make very large bows.

From Washington Post

In her memoir, Giving Up the Ghost, Mantel writes of her own childhood encounters with the paranormal.

From The Daily Beast

Mantel did live in Saudi Arabia with her husband for nearly a decade, and this piece was originally published as memoir.

From The Daily Beast

Author Hilary Mantel is under fire for writing a story about killing Margaret Thatcher.

From The Daily Beast

His mantel is chock full of Oscars and Grammys (three of each).

From The Daily Beast

Nick Lord, 25, wins commission to paint Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel for a portrait which will hang in the British Library.

From The Daily Beast

When he was gone, Isaacson stood by the mantel-piece for nearly five minutes, thinking and motionless.

From Project Gutenberg

The lady of the roses went to the mirror over the untidy mantel piece, and looked at herself, as she answered.

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

Moodily he stood there, one hand on the high mantel shelf, one foot upon an andiron, his eyes upon the flames.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• mantelpiece

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?

• mantelshelf
• mantlepiece
• mantelboard
• chimneypiece

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

• mantelet
• mantlet
• manta
• manteau
• mantelletta

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

• fireplace
• chimney
• shelf
• wooden
• stone
• stockings

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