Etymology

overmantel

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Today it means: A decorative structure, usually plasterwork or carved wood, and sometimes containing a mirror, over a mantelpiece. Full definition →

First used 19th c.English mantel ← Middle English over- ← Old English ofer-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Englishmantel
  8. English todayovermantel

From over- + mantel.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. A decorative structure, usually plasterwork or carved wood, and sometimes containing a mirror, over a mantelpiece.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.