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

Foundation and Plumbing Repairs Delaying repairs to small foundation cracks and plumbing leaks can lead to expensive damage, Mansfield warns. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Aug. 2026

The court ruling opened a third possibility, which is changing the plumbing rather than the prize. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Lead, disinfectants and sodium Lead in drinking water comes from lead leaching into the water from service lines leading from the water main to your house or from plumbing inside your home. — Christine Kirchhoff, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

City officials say the East Village investigation is unrelated to the Upper East Side cluster because it's centered on the internal plumbing, rather than a cooling tower. — Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 30 July 2026

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