flue

noun

: an enclosed passageway for directing a current: such as
a
: a channel in a chimney for conveying flame and smoke to the outer air
b
: a pipe for conveying flame and hot gases around or through water in a steam boiler
c
: an air channel leading to the lip of a wind instrument
d

Examples of flue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To end up with flue gas that’s almost exclusively CO2 and water, their cycle would have to inhale 95 percent pure oxygen. David Wagman, IEEE Spectrum, 30 May 2018 There’s no flue on that wall, which backs the bathroom. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 Nov. 2023 During the flue solo, V walked through a curtain to reveal a watery room filled with backup dancers who joined him in for some slow-motion choreo. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 The Gothic towers that make Parliament’s silhouette so recognizable, for example, are in fact air shafts connected to an internal network of flues and channels. Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2023 According to a statement from the Phoenix Fire Department, firefighters responded to a single-story home in the area of 39th Avenue and Camelback Road just after 1 a.m. on Friday for reports of a person trapped in a chimney flue. The Arizona Republic, 28 July 2023 At the Barry plant, the fuel cells will use the flue gas coming from the thermoelectric plant as their carbon source. IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2018 Be sure to close the fireplace flue during fire season when the chimney is not being used. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 31 May 2023 Windows, outside doors and chimney flues need to be closed tight. Jeastman, oregonlive, 16 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flue was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near flue

Cite this Entry

“Flue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flue. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flue

noun
: an enclosed passageway for directing a current
especially : a channel in a chimney for carrying flame and smoke to the outer air
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