(elda-hús, Eg. 397, 603, Sturl. iii. 219, Gþl. 344), n. the ‘fire-house,’ i. e. the hall or parlour, one of the chief rooms in ancient dwellings, where the fire was kept up, used synonymously with eldaskáli, but opp. to stofa, the ladies’ room; stofa, eldhús, búr, Grág. i. 459; stofu-hurð, búr-hurð, eldahús-hurð, Gþl. 344, H. E. i. 495; eldhús eðr stofur, Grág. i. 468; gauga milli stofu ok eldhúss, Fbr. 164; cp. Gísl. 14, 15, 97, (Mant.) 324, Eb. ch. 52, vide new Ed. 98, v. l. 1, 3, 4; gékk Þorgerðr þegar inn í eldahús, Eg. 603; eldhúss dyrr, Lv. 89, Ld. 54, Sturl. iii. 218, 219; eldhúss-skot, n. id., cp. Eg. 397; eldhús-hurð, f. the hurdle of an e., N. G. L. i. 38, Gþl. l. c.; eldhús-fífl, n. a ‘fireside fool,’ an idiot who sits all day by the fire, Fas. ii. 114; in Sturl. iii. 219 eldahús and skáli seem to be used differently.

β. it may also be used of any room having a hearth and fire, eldahús … var þat brott frá öðrum húsum, Eg. 203; and even of a kitchen, 238, cp. Nj. 75. In mod. usage eldhús only means a kitchen.