Meanings
plural andirons · alternative obsolete handiron
- plural normallyA utensil for supporting wood when burning in a fireplace, one being placed on each side
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.
1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter 7, in The House Behind the Cedars
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA utensil for supporting wood when burning in a fireplace, one being placed on each side
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Celtic*anderā“young woman”
- Gaulishanderon“heifer”
- Old Frenchandier
- Middle Englishaundire
- Englishandiron
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.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Gaulish
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan capfoguer
- capfoguera utensil for supporting wood while burning
Czech železný kozlík
- železný kozlíka utensil for supporting wood while burning
Danish ildbuk
- ildbuka utensil for supporting wood while burning
Dutch vuurbok
- vuurboka utensil for supporting wood while burning
Estonian kaminakoer
- kaminakoera utensil for supporting wood while burning
Finnish rautateline
- rautatelinea utensil for supporting wood while burning
French chenet
- cheneta utensil for supporting wood while burning
German Feuerbock, Kaminbock
- Feuerbocka utensil for supporting wood while burning
- Kaminbocka utensil for supporting wood while burning
- Brandbocka utensil for supporting wood while burning
- Feuerhunda utensil for supporting wood while burning
- Feuerrossa utensil for supporting wood while burning
Greek πυροστιά
- πυροστιά (pyrostiá)a utensil for supporting wood while burning
Italian alare
- alarea utensil for supporting wood while burning
Japanese 牧乗せ台
- 牧乗せ台 (makinosedai)a utensil for supporting wood while burning
Latin anderius
- anderiusa utensil for supporting wood while burning
Norwegian peisbukk
- peisbukka utensil for supporting wood while burning
Polish kozioł
- kozioła utensil for supporting wood while burning
Portuguese cão
- cãoa utensil for supporting wood while burning
Spanish morillo
- morilloa utensil for supporting wood while burning
Turkish demir ayaklık
- demir ayaklıka utensil for supporting wood while burning
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
andiron. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/andiron
“andiron.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/andiron. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “andiron,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/andiron.
Source: andiron on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.