tubular

American

[too-byuh-ler, tyoo-] / ˈtu byə lər, ˈtyu- /

adjective

having the form or shape of a tube; tubiform.
of or relating to a tube or tubes.
characterized by or consisting of tubes.

tubular British

/ ˈtjuːbjʊlə /

adjective

Also: tubiform. having the form of a tube or tubes
of or relating to a tube or tubing

"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

Other Word Forms

intertubular adjective
multitubular adjective
nontubular adjective
tubularity noun
tubularly adverb

Etymology

Origin of tubular

1665–75; < New Latin tubulāris; see tubule, -ar 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.

When the mitochondrion returns to its normal tubular shape, the nucleoids remain separated, preserving their even distribution.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

The team created the nanoscrolls by rolling flat MXene flakes into tiny tubular structures that are about ten thousand times thinner than a water pipe.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

Thankfully, a rewrite and the addition of some tubular bells made it much more jolly.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025

Sometimes it is obvious: large tubular casings left behind on a nearby sidewalk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025

I was happier when I returned to the pre-K classroom with the fenced play yard and tubular slide.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023