duct

[duhkt]

noun

1. any tube, canal, pipe, or conduit by which a fluid, air, or other substance is conducted or conveyed.

2. Anatomy, Zoology.,  a tube, canal, or vessel conveying a body fluid, especially a glandular secretion or excretion.

3. Botany.,  a cavity or vessel formed by elongated cells or by many cells.

4. Electricity.,  a single enclosed runway for conductors or cables.

5. Printing.,  (in a press) the reservoir for ink.

verb (used with object)

1. to convey or channel by means of a duct or ducts.

   Heat from the oven is ducted to the outside.

duct

/ dʌkt /

noun

1. a tube, pipe, or canal by means of which a substance, esp a fluid or gas, is conveyed

2. any bodily passage, esp one conveying secretions or excretions

3. a narrow tubular cavity in plants, often containing resin or some other substance

4. Also called: conduit. a channel or pipe carrying electric cable or wires

5. a passage through which air can flow, as in air conditioning

6. the ink reservoir in a printing press

duct

1. A tube or tubelike structure through which something flows, especially a tube in the body for carrying a fluid secreted that is by a gland.

Other Word Forms

• ductless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of duct¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin ductus “conveyance (of water),” hence “channel” (in Medieval Latin ), equivalent to duc- (variant stem of dūcere “to lead”) + -tus suffix of verbal action

Word History and Origins

Origin of duct¹

C17: from Latin ductus a leading (in Medieval Latin: aqueduct), from dūcere to lead

Example Sentences

Roske pleaded guilty in April, nearly three years after being arrested outside Kavanaugh’s house with a pistol, zip ties, duct tape, pepper spray, crowbar and hammer, along with other burglary tools, according to court records.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

“Every time he laid down it would irritate the skin and cause it to bleed. I was putting duct tape to fix it.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In 2020, his son, David, died in his fifties from complications of bile duct cancer.

Read more on BBC

That depends on how a young kid might feel about a clunky appliance with flexible duct hose for arms, and whose main claim to fame is screaming, “Danger, Will Robinson!”

Read more on Salon

And poorer people are more likely to live in aging buildings without duct systems or air conditioning units.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conduit 
• tube