pipeline

/ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: pipelines · pipelining · pipelined

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A conduit made of pipes used to convey water, gas or petroleum, etc.

Noun

Examples

Meronyms: pipe, piping, pipework

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A channel (either physical or logical) by which information is transmitted sequentially (that is, the first information in is the first information out).

Noun

Examples

3D images are rendered using the graphics pipeline.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To design (a microchip etc.) so that processing takes place in efficient stages, the output of each stage being fed as input to the next.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To convey by a system of pipes.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “pipeline” mean?

A conduit made of pipes used to convey water, gas or petroleum, etc.

Is “pipeline” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.