1
: any of various usually cylindrical structures or devices: such as
a
: a hollow elongated cylinder
especially
: one to convey fluids
b
: a soft tubular container whose contents (such as toothpaste) can be removed by squeezing
c(1)
: tunnel
(2)
British
: subway sense b
d
: the basically cylindrical section between the mouthpiece and bell that is the fundamental part of a wind instrument
2
a
: a slender channel (such as a fallopian tube or a pollen tube) within a plant or animal body : duct
b
: the narrow basal portion of a corolla with united petals or a calyx with united sepals
3
4
a
: electron tube
especially
: vacuum tube
b
: cathode-ray tube
especially
: a television picture tube
c
5
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
a tube top
tube socks
see also:
Examples of tube in a Sentence
She was breathing oxygen through a tube.
watched the liquid move through the tube between the flasks and recorded the movement in his chemistry notebook
Recent Examples on the Web
In order to make sure horses keep their cool among loud, unpredictable crowds, officers do desensitization training with speakers, sirens, inflatable tube men, kazoos, fireworks, flags and all manner of annoyances.
—
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Fuel deliveries will be made via tube trailers to a dedicated on-site offloading and pressure reduction facility.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
All cables are neatly cinched into a single wrap in front of the handlebar and routed neatly through the center tube.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
No Tang and food in tubes for the astronauts on the Artemis 2 moon mission – space food has come a long way since humankind first began regularly venturing beyond Earth's atmosphere more than six decades ago.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tube
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Fuel deliveries will be made via tube trailers to a dedicated on-site offloading and pressure reduction facility.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
All cables are neatly cinched into a single wrap in front of the handlebar and routed neatly through the center tube.
—Erica Zazo, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
No Tang and food in tubes for the astronauts on the Artemis 2 moon mission – space food has come a long way since humankind first began regularly venturing beyond Earth's atmosphere more than six decades ago.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tube
Cite this Entry
“Tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tube. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tube
noun1
a
: a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct
b
: a long hollow cylinder
especially
: one to carry fluids
c
: the part of a wind instrument that connects the mouthpiece with the open end
2
: a soft container shaped something like a tube whose contents (as toothpaste or glue) can be removed by squeezing
3
4
6
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
tube socks
Medical Definition
tube
1 of 2 noun1
: a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct see bronchial tube, eustachian tube, fallopian tube
2
a
: an often complex piece of laboratory or technical apparatus usually of glass and commonly serving to isolate or convey a product of reaction
a distillation tube
b
3
: a soft tubular container whose contents (as toothpaste) can be dispensed by squeezing
4
: a hollow cylindrical device (as a cannula) used for insertion into bodily passages or hollow organs for removal or injection of materials
tube
2 of 2 transitive verb
tubed; tubing
: to furnish with, enclose in, or pass through a tube
the patient is then anesthetized … and tubed—Anesthesia Digest
Anesthesia DigestLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
