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Definition of culvert
culvert
/ˈkʌl.vɚt/
cul · vert
Plural:culverts
•Past Simple:culverted
•Past Participle:culverted
•Present Participle:culverting
culvert Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
culvert Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A tunnel, pipe, or enclosed channel carrying a stream, surface water, or drain under a road, railway, canal, or embankment.
Example
"Heavy rains overwhelmed the concrete culvert, causing the rural highway to flood."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for culvert• verb
1
To channel a stream, drain, or body of water through a subterranean pipe or tunnel.
Example
"The city planners decided to culvert the small creek to make way for the new housing development."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for culvert• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 18th century; of obscure origin. It may be related to the French word 'couloir' (a channel or corridor) from 'couler' (to flow), or potentially derived from a regional dialect word.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Culvert. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/culvert