An open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built:
— He laid a fire in the hearth and lit it.
— The hearth was black with the charcoal of many fires.

synonyms: fireplace, open fireplace.

Roget 386: furnace, stove, kiln, oven; cracker; hearth, focus, combustion chamber; athanor^†, hypocaust^†, reverberatory; volcano; forge, fiery furnace; limekiln; Dutch oven; tuyere, brasier^†, salamander, heater, warming pan; boiler, caldron, seething caldron, pot; urn, kettle; chafing-dish; retort, crucible, alembic, still; waffle irons; muffle furnace, induction furnace; electric heater, electric furnace, electric resistance heat.    [steel-making furnace] open-hearth furnace.    fireplace, gas fireplace; coal fire, wood fire; fire-dog, fire-irons; grate, range, kitchener; caboose, camboose^†; poker, tongs, shovel, ashpan, hob, trivet; andiron, gridiron; ashdrop; frying-pan, stew-pan, backlog.    [area near a fireplace] hearth, inglenook.    [residential heating methods] oil burner, gas burner, Franklin stove, pot-bellied stove; wood-burning stove; central heating, steam heat, hot water heat, gas heat, forced hot air, electric heat, heat pump; solar heat, convective heat.    hothouse, bakehouse^†, washhouse^†; laundry; conservatory; sudatory^†; Turkish bath, Russian bath, vapor bath, steam bath, sauna, warm bath; vaporarium^†.    ... show more

Dutch: haard, open haard, schouw, stookplaats
Polish: kominek

Home symbolized as a part of the fireplace:
— Driven from hearth and home.

synonym: fireside.

Roget 189: abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance^†, tabernacle, throne, ark.    home, fatherland; country; homestead, homestall^†; fireside; hearth, hearth stone; chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side; harem, seraglio, zenana^†; household gods, lares et penates [Lat.], roof, household, housing, dulce domum [Lat.], paternal domicile; native soil, native land.    habitat, range, stamping ground; haunt, hangout; biosphere; environment, ecological niche.    nest, nidus, snuggery^†; arbor, bower, etc. 191; lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum [Lat.], aerie, eyrie, eyry^†, rookery, hive; covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost; nidification; kala jagah^†.    bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation^†; barrack, casemate^†, casern^†.    tent etc. (covering) 223; building etc. (construction) 161; chamber etc. (receptacle) 191; xenodochium^†.    tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft^†.    cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy^†, shanty, dugout [U.S.], wigwam; pen etc. (inclosure) 232; barn, bawn^†; kennel, sty, doghold^†, cote, coop, hutch, byre; cow house, cow shed; stable, dovecote, columbary^†, columbarium; shippen^†; igloo, iglu^†, jacal^†; lacustrine dwelling^†, lacuslake dwelling^†, lacuspile dwelling^†; log cabin, log house; shack, shebang [Slang], tepee, topek^†.    house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe [Lat.], folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace; kiosk, bungalow; casa [Sp.], country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house; temple etc. 1000.    hamlet, village, thorp^†, dorp^†, ham, kraal; borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis; suburb; province, country; county town, county seat; courthouse [U.S.]; ghetto.    street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda^†, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd [Scot.], close [Scot.], yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews.    square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister; gardens, grove, residences; block of buildings, market place, place, plaza.    anchorage, roadstead, roads; dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor.    quarter, parish etc. (region) 181.    assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place; inn; hostel, hostelry; hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow^†, khan, hospice; public house, pub, pot house, mug house; gin mill, gin palace; bar, bar room; barrel house [U.S.], cabaret, chophouse; club, clubhouse; cookshop^†, dive [U.S.], exchange [Euph.]; grill room, saloon [U.S.], shebeen^†; coffee house, eating house; canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet^†, posada^†; almshouse^†, poorhouse, townhouse [U.S.].    garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance^†, demesne.    [quarters for animals] cage, terrarium, doghouse; pen, aviary; barn, stall; zoo.    ... show more

An area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room):
— They sat on the hearth and warmed themselves before the fire.

synonym: fireside.