Definition of "Hearth" :

noun: an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

"He laid a fire in the hearth and lit it."

noun: home symbolized as a part of the fireplace

"Driven from hearth and home."

noun: an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)

"They sat on the hearth and warmed themselves before the fire."