andiron

English

A pair of andirons in front of a fireplace

Alternative forms

• handiron (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English aundire, aundiren, from Old French andier (possibly from Gaulish anderon (“heifer”)) compare Welsh anner, annair (“heifer”), Breton annoar (“heifer”), from Proto-Celtic *anderā (“young woman”), due either to their somewhat animal-like appearance of four legs or to the prominent figuring of bull and heifer design elements; compare its alternative names of fire-dog and dog-iron. Spelling influenced by iron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈændaɪə(ɹ)n/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

andiron (plural andirons)

1. (usually in the plural) A utensil for supporting wood when burning in a fireplace, one being placed on each side

   Synonym: (chiefly US) fire dog

   • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter 7, in The House Behind the Cedars:

     The furniture was old-fashioned and massive. The great brass andirons on the wide hearth stood like sentinels proclaiming and guarding the dignity of the family. The spreading antlers on the wall testified to a mighty hunter in some past generation.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:andiron.

Translations

a utensil for supporting wood while burning

• Catalan: capfoguer (ca) m
• Czech: železný kozlík m
• Danish: ildbuk c
• Dutch: vuurbok
• Finnish: rautateline
• French: chenet (fr) m
• German: Feuerbock m, Kaminbock (de) m, Brandbock m, Feuerhund m, Feuerross n
• Greek: πυροστιά (el) f (pyrostiá)
• Ido: morilio (io)
• Italian: alare (it) m
• Japanese: 牧乗せ台 (まきのせだい, makinosedai)
• Latin: anderius (Mediaeval)
• Middle English: aundire
• Norwegian: peisbukk m
• Polish: kozioł (pl) m
• Portuguese: cão (pt) m
• Spanish: morillo m
• Turkish: demir ayaklık
• Walloon: cropecinde (wa) m, andî (wa) m
• Zazaki: lıngê asınêni

Anagrams

• nonarid