mantel

/ˈmæn.təl/noun

The shelf over a fireplace, which can also help support the chimney structure above it.

Example sentence

“Family photographs lined the mantel above the fire.”

Not to be confused with 'mantle', a cloak or an assumed role; the two spellings are often mixed up.

Related words

radiatorA device that releases heat, such as the part of a car that cools the engine or a metal unit that warms a room.fireplaceA recessed hearth built into a wall at the bottom of a chimney, where a fire can burn indoors.thermostatA device that senses temperature changes and switches heating or cooling on or off to keep a room at a chosen setting.skylightA window set into a roof or ceiling that lets daylight into a room.furnaceA machine that produces heat to warm a building.railingA barrier made of horizontal bars held up by posts, used along stairs, balconies, or fences.