duct
n. countablen. a tube or pipe that carries things like air, water, or cables through a building or a body. You often see them in ceilings for heating and cooling systems.
n. a tube, pipe, or channel used to convey a substance, such as air, liquid, or electrical cables. In biological contexts, it refers to a vessel that transports secretions like tears or bile.
The air duct needs cleaning to improve the ventilation.
Engineers installed a new ventilation duct to ensure fresh air reaches the basement offices.
The architectural design leaves the metal air ducts exposed, creating an industrial aesthetic while allowing for easier maintenance of the building's climate control system.
Borrowed from Latin ductus (“leading, conducting”, noun), from dūcō (“to lead, conduct, draw”) + -tus (action noun suffix). Doublet of ductus and douit. Also via Medieval Latin ductus (“a conveyance of water; a channel”), which itself has the first mentioned etymology.
Often used in compound nouns like 'air duct', 'tear duct', or 'cable duct'.