Word
conduit
Phoneticscon·duit
US/ˈkɑnduɪt/
UK/kˈɒndjuːˌɪt/
Definitions
01physical pipe or tube
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technology Technical
n. a pipe, tube, or channel that carries water or protects electrical wires.
n. a pipe, tube, or underground passage used for conveying fluids or protecting electrical cables.
Español:conducto
“The workers laid a new plastic conduit to protect the internet cables underground.”
“Engineers installed a reinforced steel conduit to house the high-voltage wiring, ensuring the system remained protected from environmental moisture.”
Usage
Countable noun; often used in construction and engineering contexts.
02a means of transmission
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic · Formal
n. a person, organization, or thing that helps move information, money, or power from one place to another.
n. a person or medium through which something, such as information or influence, is transmitted or distributed.
“The local charity acts as a conduit for donations to reach the families in need.”
“The diplomat served as a vital conduit for communication between the two warring factions when official channels had been closed.”
Usage
Often takes the preposition 'for' or 'between'.
Synonyms
03financial intermediary
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Finance Technical · Formal
n. a company or account used to move money between different financial institutions.
n. an entity or financial structure through which investment funds or assets are channeled, often for tax or regulatory efficiency.
“The offshore company was used as a conduit for moving large sums of money.”
“The investment bank established a special-purpose conduit to manage the securitized assets, isolating them from the parent company's balance sheet.”
Teaching tip
In finance, this term often carries a neutral technical meaning, but in news reports, it can imply a lack of transparency.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“One of the enduring sticking points in the conflict has been the Strait of Hormuz , a key conduit in the global fossil fuel trade.” “The MoD signed an £8m deal with a firm later alleged to be a conduit for secret payments to a Saudi prince.” “YouTube is a major conduit of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide and is not doing enough to tackle the spread of falsehoods on its platform, according to a global coalition of factchecking organisations.” “A series of underground conduit terracotta pipes use gravitational force and hydraulic pressure to send water from the Sigiriya tank (with a slightly higher elevation than the gardens) into the different pools, fountains and streams throughout the impeccably organised gardens.” Etymology
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.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/conduit
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0