[hearth] n [ME herth, fr. OE heorth; akin to OHG herd hearth, and prob. to Skt kudayati he scorches] (bef. 12c) 1 a: a brick, stone, or cement area in front of a fireplace b: the floor of a fireplace; also: fireplace c: the lowest section of a furnace; esp: the section of a furnace on which the ore or metal is exposed to the flame or heat
2: home
3: a vital or creative center "the central ~ of occidental civilization --A. L. Kroeber"