flue

noun

ˈflü 

: an enclosed passageway for directing a current: such as

a

: a channel in a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air

b

: a pipe for conveying flame and hot gases around or through water in a steam boiler

c

: an air channel leading to the lip of a wind instrument

d

: flue pipe

Examples of flue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The dog owner told GMA her apartment's leak was caused by a bird's nest sitting in the flue of her building's gas water heater. —Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 12 July 2024

The base layer of insulating straw was topped by turves — soil formed of dead but not fully decayed plants — and finished with clay, which near the apex of the roof may have formed a chimney or flue. —Franz Lidz, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024

To end up with flue gas that’s almost exclusively CO2 and water, their cycle would have to inhale 95 percent pure oxygen. —David Wagman, IEEE Spectrum, 30 May 2018

There’s no flue on that wall, which backs the bathroom. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing flue

• flue-cured
• flue pipe
• flue stop

Kids Definition

flue

noun

ˈflü 

: an enclosed passageway for directing a current

especially : a channel in a chimney for carrying flame and smoke to the outer air