I. ˈdəkt noun
Etymology: New Latin ductus, from Medieval Latin, aqueduct, from Latin, act of leading, from ducere to lead — more at tow
Date: 1667
1. : a bodily tube or vessel especially when carrying the secretion of a gland
2.
a. : a pipe, tube, or channel that conveys a substance
b. : a pipe or tubular runway for carrying an electric power line, telephone cables, or other conductors
3. : a tube or elongated cavity (as a xylem vessel) in plant tissue
4. : a layer (as in the atmosphere or the ocean) which occurs under usually abnormal conditions and in which radio or sound waves are confined to a restricted path
• duc·tal ˈdək-t ə l adjective
• duct·less ˈdək(t)-ləs adjective
II. transitive verb
Date: 1936
1. : to enclose in a duct
2. : to convey (as a gas) through a duct ; also : to propagate (as radio waves) through a duct