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 Rain falling on urban expanses is channeled into drainage conduits, squandered. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Creating entertaining, fun-to-watch characters that can teach empathy and hold a mirror up to the audience and become an emotional conduit for people, that’s still our guiding principle. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024 In their view, a partnership with the United States can be a conduit for promoting human rights and political liberties, which could make their rule less secure. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Foreign Affairs, 15 Mar. 2024 The California Municipal Finance Authority acts as a conduit for tax-exempt bonds to finance an array of projects to promote economic development. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2024 But Twitter was always more than a news source, or a conduit for information. Sheon Han, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2024 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

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 28 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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