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
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
More Southern Grandma Makeup Tips 7 Old-School Beauty Trends That Are Coming Back This Year
Choose a Semi-Matte Lipstick
While lip gloss has largely remained the favorite tube of the past two decades, a more natural-finish lipstick offers a dose of longer-lasting color and an inherent elegance.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025
Nasal and sinus congestion, as well as fluid buildup, can block these tubes, keeping them from functioning correctly.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 25 Apr. 2025
Emma had on a high-visibility vest over a short puffer jacket and was carrying a cardboard tube.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2025
What To Know The nearly 16,000-ton Michael Monsoor, which currently has 80 tubes for launching a variety of missiles in its original armament configuration, departed its home port at Naval Base San Diego on March 28, according to photos released by the U.S. Navy.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tube
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Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025
Nasal and sinus congestion, as well as fluid buildup, can block these tubes, keeping them from functioning correctly.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 25 Apr. 2025
Emma had on a high-visibility vest over a short puffer jacket and was carrying a cardboard tube.
—Anna Russell, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2025
What To Know The nearly 16,000-ton Michael Monsoor, which currently has 80 tubes for launching a variety of missiles in its original armament configuration, departed its home port at Naval Base San Diego on March 28, according to photos released by the U.S. Navy.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tube
Cite this Entry
“Tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tube. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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?
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