plural tubes
1
a
: a long, hollow object that is used especially to control the flow of a liquid or gas
She was breathing oxygen through a tube.
The nurse inserted a feeding tube. [=a tube used to deliver food to the stomach of a patient who cannot eat]
b
: an object shaped like a pipe
a tube of lipstick
a cardboard tube
2
: a soft, long, narrow container that has a small opening at one end and that contains a soft material which can be pushed out by squeezing
a tube of paint/toothpaste
3
: a thin, long, hollow part within an animal or plant
the bronchial tubes
a pollen tube
4
US, informal
: the television
They spent all afternoon sitting in front of the tube. [=(Brit) the box]
What's on the tube tonight?
5
British
: the system of trains that run underground in London
It's easy to get around London on the tube.
There's a tube station a couple of blocks away from here.
She travels by tube to work every day.
Cite this Entry
“Tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tube. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
