conduit

American  

[kon-dwit, -doo-it, -dyoo-it, -dit] / ˈkɒn dwɪt, -du ɪt, -dyu ɪt, -dɪt /

noun

1. a pipe, tube, or the like, for conveying water or other fluid.

   Synonyms:

   channel, main, duct

2. a similar natural passage.

3. any means of transmission or conveyance, as of information.

   According to rumor, he served as a conduit for Israeli intelligence.

4. Electricity. a structure containing one or more ducts.

5. Archaic. a fountain.

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conduit British  

/ ˈkɒndɪt, -djʊɪt /

noun

1. a pipe or channel for carrying a fluid

2. a rigid tube or duct for carrying and protecting electrical wires or cables

3. an agency or means of access, communication, etc

4. botany a water-transporting element in a plant; a xylem vessel or a tracheid

5. a rare word for fountain

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Etymology

Origin of conduit

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English conduit, condut, condewit, condit, from Old French conduit, from Medieval Latin conductus “pipe channel”; see origin at conduce, duct

Explanation

Instead of complaining about your chores, be grateful for the conduit, or pipe, that brings water to your home. Thanks to it, you don't have to go fetch water from the well whenever your mom wants a cup of coffee. The noun conduit comes from root words meaning "pipe," and the word retains this definition. For example, a channel between a reservoir and a water treatment plant could be called a conduit. Conduit can also be used in a figurative sense to refer to someone or something that conveys goods, information, or ideas. For instance, a religious leader might be seen as a conduit who brings divine messages to the people.

Example Sentences

A key sticking point in the talks is traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global conduit for oil shipments that has come under Iranian control since the outbreak of the war.

From Barron's • May 24, 2026

Increasingly, however, ETFs are becoming a high-cost conduit for concentrated, risky or weird strategies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

If the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for one-fifth of the world’s supply of crude oil, is officially reopened?

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

The sinking has damaged part of the Friant-Kern Canal, a major water conduit for farms, reducing its carrying capacity and requiring $326 million in repairs.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

She was no longer the conduit; she was the form, the vessel.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• duct
• pipe
• pipeline