Showing results for "plumbing"

• present participle of plumb.

plumbing

American  

[pluhm-ing] / ˈplʌm ɪŋ /

noun

1. the system of pipes and other apparatus for conveying water, liquid wastes, etc., as in a building.

2. the work or trade of a plumber.

3. act of a person who plumbs, as in ascertaining depth.

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plumbing British  

/ ˈplʌmɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: plumbery. the trade or work of a plumber

2. the pipes, fixtures, etc, used in a water, drainage, or gas installation

3. the act or procedure of using a plumb to gauge depth, a vertical, etc

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Etymology

Origin of plumbing

First recorded in 1660–70; plumb + -ing ¹

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Explanation

Indoor plumbing is what makes civilization great. Plumbing refers to the pipes that get the water in and the sewage out. If a snake shows up in the toilet, it probably came in through the plumbing. Yikes! You can use the noun plumbing whether you're talking about the bathroom sink, the pipes connected to your dishwasher, or the bathtub drain. A home's heating system often consists of plumbing too. The work of fixing or installing this type of system is also plumbing. The word's earliest meaning was "the weighting of a fishing line," from plumb, originally "to sink like lead," which has the Latin root plumba, or "lead."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plumbing

But the centres also need power sources, intensive cooling systems, and old-fashioned construction, plumbing and electrical work, all providing money and jobs for local communities and beyond.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Grainger’s shares rose 6.5% to $1489.39 after the Chicago distributor of tools, plumbing gear and other equipment posted robust revenue growth and boosted its growth projection for the year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

“I was thinking it’d be funny to start a Brothers Osborne plumbing company that services all the bars.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

The company has much bigger ambitions than just cleaning, envisioning a world with robots capable of doing tasks like plumbing, electrical work, carpentry and elderly care.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

She’s a short round ball of a woman with a sturdy build and hair the color of plumbing pipes.

From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko

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Related Words

• housewares

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