conduit
- 01 C1 Advanced
a pipe, tube, or channel that carries water or protects electrical wires.
a pipe, tube, or underground passage used for conveying fluids or protecting electrical cables.
Simple“The workers laid a new plastic conduit to protect the internet cables underground.”
In context“Engineers installed a reinforced steel conduit to house the high-voltage wiring, ensuring the system remained protected from environmental moisture.”
UsageCountable noun; often used in construction and engineering contexts.
- 02 C1 Advanced
a person, organization, or thing that helps move information, money, or power from one place to another.
a person or medium through which something, such as information or influence, is transmitted or distributed.
Simple“The local charity acts as a conduit for donations to reach the families in need.”
In context“The diplomat served as a vital conduit for communication between the two warring factions when official channels had been closed.”
UsageOften takes the preposition 'for' or 'between'.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a company or account used to move money between different financial institutions.
an entity or financial structure through which investment funds or assets are channeled, often for tax or regulatory efficiency.
Simple“The offshore company was used as a conduit for moving large sums of money.”
In context“The investment bank established a special-purpose conduit to manage the securitized assets, isolating them from the parent company's balance sheet.”
Teacher's tipIn finance, this term often carries a neutral technical meaning, but in news reports, it can imply a lack of transparency.
Synonyms
“One of the enduring sticking points in the conflict has been the Strait of Hormuz , a key conduit in the global fossil fuel trade.”
From Middle English conduyt, condit, from Old French conduit, from Latin conductus. Doublet of conduct.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.