A flue is a passage or pipe that carries smoke or gases away, especially from a fireplace, stove, or boiler. The word also has a few specializedused for a particular purpose or field, not general use meaningsideas or senses a word can express in mechanicsthe branch of physics dealing with motion and forces and music.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /flu/
Easy pronunciation: FLOO (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, stressed.
Use this pronunciation for the noun meaning a smoke or gas passage.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Flue Meaning
a pipe or passage that lets smoke and gases escape
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a conduit to carry off smoke
Example: The chimney flue needed cleaning before winter.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Flue
Meaning 2
a flat part of an anchor that digs into the seabed
Part of speech: noun
Definition: flat bladelike projection on the arm of an anchor
Example: The anchor's flue helped it grip the bottom.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- fluke — Used in anchor terminology as the projecting part of an anchor.
Meaning 3
an organ pipe that makes sound when air passes over an edge
Part of speech: noun
Definition: organ pipe whose tone is produced by air passing across the sharp edge of a fissure or lip
Example: The organ's flue pipes gave the music a bright tone.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- flue pipe — Direct term for this kind of organ pipe.
- labial pipe — Technical synonym for this type of organ pipe.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Flue Synonyms
anchor part
- fluke
organ pipe
- flue pipe
- labial pipe
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse flue with fluke: they are related in one technical sense, but flue usually means a smoke passage.
- In everyday English, flue usually refers to a chimney or vent passage, not the anchor or organ senses.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does flue mean?
Flue usually means a passage or pipe that carries smoke or gases away, especially in a chimney, stove, or boiler.
What are the synonyms of flue?
For the main meaning, flue does not have many true everyday synonyms. In specialized senses, fluke can name the anchor part, and flue pipe or labial pipe can name the organ pipe.
Is flue the same as chimney?
Not exactly. A chimney is the whole structure, while a flue is the passage inside it that carries smoke out.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.