plumbing

noun

plumb·​ing ˈplə-miŋ 

1

: the act of using a plumb

2

: a plumber's occupation or trade

3

a

: the apparatus (such as pipes and fixtures) concerned in the distribution and use of water in a building

b

: an internal system that resembles plumbing

especially : one consisting of conduits or channels for conveying fluids

Examples of plumbing in a Sentence

The house has old plumbing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Small trailers carrying water tanks and portable toilets were brought into each compound, though some camps eventually received more adequate plumbing over the course of the detention operations. —Miriam Pensack, The Dial, 30 Sep. 2025

Beyond the technical plumbing of payments, ACP effectively positions ChatGPT as a new arbiter of product recommendations. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025

Prefabricated and easily portable, the SEQ Quick Simple Easy Tiny House comes with a bathroom and kitchen that are fully equipped with plumbing and electrical, and three bedrooms. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2025

Large events might overwhelm its antiquated plumbing system. —Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plumbing

• indoor plumbing
• plumbing fixture

Rhymes for plumbing

• coming
• cumming
• drumming
• gumming
• humming
• numbing
• strumming
• summing
• thrumming
• thumbing
• becoming
• forthcoming

Kids Definition

plumbing

noun

plumb·​ing ˈpləm-iŋ 

1

: a plumber's work

2

: a system of pipes for supplying and carrying off water in a building