siphon

or sy·phon

[ sahy-fuhn ]

noun

1. a tube or conduit bent into legs of unequal length, for use in drawing a liquid from one container into another on a lower level by placing the shorter leg into the container above and the longer leg into the one below, the liquid being forced up the shorter leg and into the longer one by the pressure of the atmosphere.
2. siphon bottle.
3. a projecting tubular part of some animals, especially certain mollusks, through which liquid enters or leaves the body.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to convey, draw, or pass through or as if through a siphon (sometimes followed by off ):

   to siphon water; to siphon off profits into a secret bank account.

siphon

/ saɪˈfɒnɪk; ˈsaɪfən /

noun

1. a tube placed with one end at a certain level in a vessel of liquid and the other end outside the vessel below this level, so that liquid pressure forces the liquid through the tube and out of the vessel by gravity
2. See soda siphon
3. zoology any of various tubular organs in different aquatic animals, such as molluscs and elasmobranch fishes, through which a fluid, esp water, passes

verb

1. often foll by off to pass or draw off through or as if through a siphon

siphon

/ sī′fən /

1. A pipe or tube in the form of an upside-down U, filled with liquid and arranged so that the pressure of the atmosphere forces liquid to flow upward from a container through the tube, over a barrier, and into a lower container.
2. A tubular animal part, as of a clam, through which water is taken in or expelled.

Derived Forms

• ˈsiphonage, noun
• ˈsiphonal, adjective

Other Words From

• siphon·al si·phon·ic [sahy-, fon, -ik], adjective
• siphon·less adjective
• siphon·like adjective
• pseudo·siphon·al adjective
• pseudo·si·phonic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of siphon¹

1650–60; < Latin sīphōn- (stem of sīphō ) < Greek síphōn, sī́phōn pipe, tube

Word History and Origins

Origin of siphon¹

C17: from Latin sīphō, from Greek siphōn siphon

Example Sentences

His campaign received some funding from Democratic donors in what Hovde said was an effort to siphon votes from him.

From Salon

“We’re certainly disappointed that the Democrats’ effort to siphon votes with a fraudulent candidate had a significant impact on the race, with those votes making up more than the entire margin of the race right now,” Hovde said in a press release.

From Salon

Republicans also worried that the former president might start a third party that would siphon off support from Republicans – concerns that Trump’s closest aides did little to dispel.

From BBC

A new test could give the organization an opening to restore mandatory prayer in public schools and siphon more public funds for religious schools, making them more desirable than public ones.

From Slate

He frequently lauds his proposed tariffs as beneficial to the nation, characterizing the plan as a way to siphon money from opposing countries during the presidential debate last month.

From Salon