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

But though the flow is well engineered, the clichés do accumulate like sediment in the plumbing. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2025

Maybe your basement is too damp, or there could be a leak in the plumbing somewhere. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025

The yellow placard came two weeks after the restaurant was temporarily shut down for a plumbing issue. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Instead, many young people are entering skilled trades like construction, plumbing, electrical contracting and automotive repair. —Zachary Green,gili Malinsky, CNBC, 24 Apr. 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