plumber
Americannoun
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plumbers
plural
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a person who installs and repairs piping, fixtures, appliances, and appurtenances in connection with the water supply, drainage systems, etc., both in and out of buildings.
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Slang. an undercover operative or spy hired to detect or stop leaks of news or secret information, often using questionable or illegal methods, as illegal entry or wiretapping.
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Obsolete. a worker in lead or similar metals.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of plumber
1375–1425; 1965–70 plumber for def. 2; late Middle English, spelling variant of Middle English plowber ≪ Late Latin plumbārius leadworker; replacing Middle English plummer < Anglo-French; Old French plummier < Latin, as above. See plumb, -er 2
Explanation
A plumber is someone whose job includes fixing pipes and installing water and sewage systems. If your kitchen sink is clogged, a plumber is the person to call. Plumbers's work ranges from relatively simple tasks like repairing toilets and removing clogs from drains, to much more complicated jobs including replacing all the old corroded pipes in a bathroom floor with new ones. The word plumber has been around since ancient Rome, when a plumber was "anyone who works with lead," and lead was a common material for pipes, baths, drains, and conduits. Fixing anything made of lead (which included roofs) made someone a plumber back then.
Vocabulary lists containing plumber
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As long as his electrician and plumber can find the place, he figured, he’s in good shape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
In a Fox News interview, Netanyahu also praised an Israeli passenger who helped overpower the attacker, identifying him only as Yanik and describing him as a plumber.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Bliss Cunneen walked away from an Anthropology university course in 2020 to train as a plumber.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
But when the water heater broke, I paid the plumber.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
When Mom drops her ring down the drain, you call a plumber.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
“That was unintended,” he replies, only digging himself in deeper when he explains that, like plumbers or electricians, he was there to do a job.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
The researchers say the register lays bare the breadth of which individuals contributed financially to the slave trade - from monarchs and politicians, to plumbers and clergymen.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Plus, chefs and plumbers are taking up influencing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Nationwide, employers are struggling to fill around 160 types of jobs, ranging from careworkers to plumbers, according to the FEA.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Rahim Khan told me Baba had personally funded the entire project, paying for the engineers, electricians, plumbers, and laborers, not to mention the city officials whose “mustaches needed oiling.”
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
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