flume

American  

[floom] / flum /

noun

1. a deep narrow passage or mountain ravine with a stream flowing through it, often with great force.

   Hikers are warned to stay well clear of the flumes, especially during the spring thaw.

2. an artificial channel or trough for conducting water, as one used to transport logs or provide water power.

3. an amusement park ride in which passengers are carried in a boatlike or loglike conveyance through a narrow, water-filled chute or over a water slide.

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verb (used with object)

flumed, fluming

1. to transport in a flume.

2. to divert (a stream) by a flume.

flume British  

/ fluːm /

noun

1. a ravine through which a stream flows

2. a narrow artificial channel made for providing water for power, floating logs, etc

3. a slide in the form of a long and winding tube with a stream of water running through it that descends into a purpose-built pool

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verb

1. (tr) to transport (logs) in a flume

Etymology

Origin of flume

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English flum, from Old French, ultimately from Latin flūmen “river, stream”

Explanation

A flume is a raised channel or chute that has water flowing through it. Flumes are generally used to transport things like logs, or to measure the flow of water. The oldest flumes were built of wood, and were basically liquid conveyer belts that moved lumber and logs in a sawmill along the surface of the water. These flumes were safer than previous methods of transporting wood down steep mountains, such as by horse-drawn carriages. Amusement parks frequently feature rides modeled after these wooden flumes, in which riders sit in boats resembling hollow logs, propelled along a flume by flowing water.

Example Sentences

This was a commencement, not a log flume.

From Slate • May 27, 2025

The only thing missing was the noise of the Al Nassr striker's trademark 'siu' celebration echoing round the plastic flume as he flew down it.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2024

Currents and sediment input in the flume tank were simulated using pumps and monitored with a current meter.

From Science Daily • Oct. 6, 2023

An online campaign at the time even called for a “Princess and the Frog” makeover to the log flume ride that’s been a park favorite in large part due to its 52½-foot drop.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2023

A flume of vomit arched onto the floor.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter