tube

noun

ˈtüb How to pronounce tube (audio)
ˈtyüb
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
5
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
a tube top
tube socks
tubed
ˈtübd How to pronounce tube (audio)
ˈtyübd
adjective
tubelike
ˈtüb-ˌlīk How to pronounce tube (audio)
ˈtyüb-
adjective
Phrases
down the tube or down the tubes
: into a state of collapse or deterioration

Example Sentences

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 The camera quickly turns to the crowd just as several people, including uniformed and plainclothes police officers, converge on a young man wearing a white surgical mask and holding what appears to be another device, a long silver tube. Mari Yamaguchi And Foster Klug, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2023 The flush valve will be located in the middle of the tank and includes the overflow tube. Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, 24 Mar. 2023 What’s in the radioactive tube? Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 16 Mar. 2023 Ellie is still alive, but unconscious and stuck with an IV tube. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2023 The camera then points at the crowd as uniformed and plainclothes officers converge on a young man in a white surgical mask and holding a long silver tube. Julia Musto, Fox News, 15 Apr. 2023 The battery is streamlined into the down tube, for what the rep told me was the first time from this Irvine, Calif. company. Scott Kramer, Forbes, 2 Apr. 2023 At one point, Addison uses a penlight to assess the baby's breathing and ends up with a chest tube. Lincee Ray, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2023 Plastic and glass hummingbird feeders come in two main styles, inverted (tube) and saucer (dish). Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tube.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Latin tubus; akin to Latin tuba trumpet

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tube was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near tube

Cite this Entry

“Tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tube. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

tube

noun
1
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
5
6
: an article of clothing shaped like a tube
tube socks
tubed adjective
tubelike adjective

Medical Definition

tube

1 of 2 noun
1
: 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 tubedAnesthesia Digest

More from Merriam-Webster on tube

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!