conduit

noun

con·​duit ˈkän-ˌdü-ət How to pronounce conduit (audio)
-ˌdyü-,
 also  -dwət,
-dət
1
: a natural or artificial channel through which something (such as a fluid) is conveyed
a conduit for rainwater
2
: a pipe, tube, or tile for protecting electric wires or cables
3
: a means of transmitting or distributing
a conduit for illicit payments
a conduit of information
4
archaic : fountain

Examples of conduit in a Sentence

the major conduit for carrying water to the military base water flowed along the conduit to the fountain
Recent Examples on the Web The resulting film is effective both as a raw family therapy session (albeit with only one member present), and as a prismatic study of performance and cinema as subjective conduits of reality. Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 American Oversight says her company's website is a conduit for conspiracy theorists. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 But Juul’s internal strategy clearly shows that the company saw its donations to these organizations as conduits for giving to some of Washington’s most powerful lawmakers. Nicholas Florko, STAT, 15 Feb. 2024 Poetry is a conduit that that opens our minds and hearts to the ancient wisdom of the wild. Deborah Calmeyer, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2023 The allegations that aid workers were members of the organization have threatened the existence of the primary conduit for aid to Gaza’s 2.2 million people whose lives have been upended after nearly four months of war. Joyce Sohyun Lee, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2024 Campaign committees are created, as required by state law, to be the conduits for accepting donations and paying the bill in political campaigns. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2024 The ocean was just sort of a conduit for crossing borders, meeting new people, exploring new land. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2024 Hong Kong officials have in recent years sought to reassure executives that the city would maintain a distinct role to that of mainland China, saying that central government officials had outlined their support for the city retaining its unique position as a conduit between East and West. Nectar Gan, CNN, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conduit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conduyt, condyt, cundyte "channel or pipe for conveying water, act of escorting for protection" borrowed from Anglo-French conduit, condet "channel for water, guide, escort party," (also continental Old French), noun derivative from conduit, past participle of conduire "to guide, escort," going back to Latin condūcere "to bring together, join, hire, accept a contract for" (Medieval Latin also "to lead, escort, provide a channel for [water]") — more at conduce

Note: The senses of the vernacular word conduit parallel those of Medieval Latin conductus, conductum—see conduct entry 2. The verb conduct entry 1 and the nouns conduct entry 2 and conductor all had vernacular counterparts in Middle English and early Modern English—conduiten, conduit and conduytour—taken from Anglo-French. Of these only conduit has survived in Modern English, and with the restricted sense "channel for water."

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conduit was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conduit

Cite this Entry

“Conduit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conduit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conduit

noun
con·​duit ˈkän-ˌd(y)ü-ət How to pronounce conduit (audio)
 also  -d(w)ət
1
: a channel through which water or other fluid is carried
2
: a pipe, tube, or tile for protecting electric wires or cables

More from Merriam-Webster on conduit

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