pipe

noun

ˈpīp 

plural pipes

1

a

: a tubular wind instrument

specifically : a small fipple flute held in and played by the left hand

b

: one of the tubes of a pipe organ:

(1)

: flue pipe

(2)

: reed pipe

c

: bagpipe

—usually used in plural

d(1)

pipes : vocal cords, voice

… the actress famously showed off her pipes with the emotional ballad "There Are Worse Things I Could Do."

—Sophie Dodd

a singer with a great set of pipes

(2)

: piping sense 1

2

a

: a long tube or hollow body for conducting a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid or for structural purposes

b

: a means of transmission (as of television signals or computer data)

a broadband fiber-optic pipe

3

a

: a tubular or cylindrical object, part, or passage

b

: a roughly cylindrical and vertical geologic formation

c

: the eruptive channel opening into the crater of a volcano

4

a

: a large cask of varying capacity used especially for wine and oil

b

: any of various units of liquid capacity based on the size of a pipe

especially : a unit equal to two hogsheads

5

: a device for smoking usually consisting of a tube having a bowl at one end and a mouthpiece at the other

6

: snap sense 2a, cinch

pipeful

ˈpīp-ˌfu̇l 

noun

pipeless

ˈpīp-ləs 

adjective

pipelike

ˈpīp-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms of pipe

• conduit
• tube
• channel
• funnel
• piping
• drain

Examples of pipe in a Sentence

He has the pipes to sing on Broadway.

a singer with a fine set of pipes

Recent Examples on the Web

In buildings and homes constructed before 1986, the year lead pipes were banned, contamination remains an invisible risk, including inside many of Chicago’s public schools. —Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

This happens when debris narrows the pipe enough that water can no longer move through it at its normal rate. —Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 6 June 2026

Millions of acres of farmland use plastic pipes under fields — a system called tile drainage — to quickly direct water into streams. —ABC News, 4 June 2026

The system, used on cruise ships, uses smaller pipes and vacuum suction to flush the toilets. —Steve Walsh, NPR, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English pīpa (akin to Old High German pfīfa pipe), from Vulgar Latin *pipa pipe, from Latin pipare to peep, of imitative origin

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pipe

• briar pipe
• corncob pipe
• Dutchman's-pipe
• flue pipe
• half-pipe
• Indian pipe
• lead-pipe
• light pipe
• organ pipe cactus
• peace pipe
• pipe bomb
• pipe clay
• pipe cleaner
• pipe down
• pipe dream
• pipe fitter
• pipe fitting
• pipe organ
• pipe stop
• pipe up
• pipe wrench
• pitch pipe
• put/stick that in your pipe and smoke it
• reed pipe
• soil pipe
• tuning pipe
• waste pipe
• water pipe

Rhymes for pipe

• gripe
• hype
• lipe
• ripe
• sipe
• skype
• snipe
• stipe
• stripe
• strype
• swipe
• tripe

Kids Definition

pipe

1 of 2 noun

ˈpīp 

1

a

: a musical instrument consisting of a tube of reed, wood, or metal that is played by blowing

b

: one of the tubes of a pipe organ

c

: bagpipe

—usually used in plural

d

: the whistle, call, or note especially of a bird or an insect

2

: a long tube or hollow body for carrying a substance (as water, steam, or gas)

3

: a tube with a small bowl at one end used for smoking tobacco

4

: a large barrel used especially to hold oil or wine

pipe

2 of 2 verb

piped; piping

1

a

: to play on a pipe

b

: to receive on board or signal the departure of by the sounding of a boatswain's pipe

2

: to speak, call, or play with a high shrill tone

3

: to furnish or trim with piping

4

: to carry by or as if by pipes

pipe water

piper noun