Old English heorð "hearth, fireplace, part of a floor on which a fire is made," also in transferred use "house, home, fireside," from Proto-Germanic *hertha- "burning place" (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian herth, Middle Dutch hert, Dutch haard, German Herd "floor, ground, fireplace"), from PIE *kerta-, from root *ker- (3) "heat, fire." Hearth-rug is from 1824. Hearth-stone is from early 14c.
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