Meaning & use
plumber
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A person whose job is to fit and repair water pipes, toilets, and similar equipment.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a plumber', 'two plumbers'. The 'b' is silent: it sounds like 'plumer'.
Patterns
- call a plumber
- a plumber fixes something
- work as a plumber
We had to call a plumber when the kitchen sink started leaking.
My cousin is a plumber and often works on new apartment buildings.
Word forms
| plural | plumbers |
|---|
Common combinations
- call a plumber
- The water heater broke, so we called a plumber.
- licensed plumber
- You should hire a licensed plumber for major repairs.
- plumber's helper
- He used a plumber's helper to clear the blocked drain.
- emergency plumber
- The emergency plumber arrived within an hour to stop the leak.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pipefitter
- A pipefitter installs and repairs pipes in industrial settings, while a plumber usually works in homes and buildings with water and drainage systems.
- handyman
- A handyman does many small repair jobs; a plumber is specifically trained for water and drainage work.
Word family
- plumbing noun
- The system of pipes and fixtures in a building, or the work of a plumber.
- plumb verb
- To connect or test pipes, or to measure depth.
Commonly confused: plumber or plum? plumber or plumb?
plumber vs plum
A plum is a fruit; a plumber is a tradesperson. The 'b' in plumber is silent, so they sound different.
plumber vs plumb
Plumb (without -er) means vertical or to measure depth; a plumber is the person who does plumbing work.
Practice
When the toilet overflowed, we had to call a ______.
Choose one answer.
A plumber repairs water and drainage systems. 'Plum' is a fruit, 'plumb' means vertical, and 'plummet' means to fall.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plumber”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.