furnace Copy link Outline 1. fornax, ācis, f. (esp. of a worker in metal)2. cămīnus (a fire-place; q. v. • furnace: 1. fornax, ācis, f. (esp. of a worker in metal): heated f.s, ardentes f., Cic. N. D. 1, 37, 103: a coppersmith's f., f. aeraria, Plin.: a lime f., f. calcaria, Plin. Fig.: of the f.s of Etna, Virg. G. 1, 472. Dimin. fornācŭla (strictly a small f., but used = fornax): Juv. 10, 82: Front. 2. cămīnus (a fire-place; q. v.: also freq. a f. for smelting): refuse cast from a f., quae e camino jactatur spurcitia, Plin. 33, 4, 21: the f.s of the Cyclops, Cyclopum camini, Virg. Aen. 6, 630.