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drainpipe

American  
[dreyn-pahyp] / ˈdreɪnˌpaɪp /

noun

  1. a large pipe that carries away the discharge of waste pipes, soil pipes, etc.


drainpipe British  
/ ˈdreɪnˌpaɪp /

noun

  1. a pipe for carrying off rainwater, sewage, etc; downpipe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of drainpipe

First recorded in 1855–60; drain + pipe 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One famous example was Inky, the octopus that escaped from New Zealand's National Aquarium in 2016 by squeezing through a drainpipe and making its way back to the ocean.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

A cat had to be rescued by fire crews after getting stuck in a drainpipe.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2024

As snow blew around in unctuous gusts, ten people heaved these cables through a drainpipe to the second story balcony of the computer building.

From Salon • May 29, 2023

In 2007, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was traced to an animal health lab at Pirbright in the United Kingdom, where an investigation pointed to a leaking drainpipe.

From Science Magazine • May 23, 2023

She fought her frustration as she worked her way up higher and higher, following the course of the drainpipe.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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