plumber
UK /ˈplʌm.ə/ US /ˈplʌm.ɚ/ Syllables: plum-ber
Quick answer
A person whose job is to fit and repair water pipes and related equipment.
A plumber is a skilled worker who fits and repairs the pipes, taps, toilets and heating systems that carry water and waste in buildings. You call a plumber when a pipe leaks, a drain blocks or a boiler breaks. The work takes training and knowledge of safety rules. The word has a silent b, so it is said plum-er, not plum-ber. Plumbing is the system of pipes itself, and the plumber's trade is plumbing.
"We called a plumber when the kitchen sink started leaking."Example sentences
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"The plumber came to fix the leaking pipe."
Level A1
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"We need to call a plumber about the sink."
Level A1
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"My uncle works as a plumber."
Level A1
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"The plumber turned off the water before he started."
Level A2
Look-alikes and common mistakes
- electrician : An electrician works on wiring and power. A plumber works on water pipes.
- plum : A plum is a fruit. The word plumber starts the same way but has nothing to do with it.
Word family and forms
Forms: plumbers
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "plumber".
- call a plumber
- hire a plumber
- a qualified plumber
- an emergency plumber
- the plumber fixed
- a local plumber
Origin
Plumber comes from Latin plumbarius, a worker in lead, which is built on plumbum, the Latin word for lead. It reached English in the late Middle Ages through Old French plummier. Pipes were once made of lead, which is why the trade took this name, and why the chemical symbol for lead is Pb.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.
How to remember it
The b in plumber is silent, as in thumb and climb. Say plummer, and spell it with the b.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "The _____ came to fix the leaking pipe."
Answer: plumber
In your own words, what does "plumber" mean?
A person whose job is to fit and repair water pipes and related equipment.
Learn next at A1
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Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Report a mistake on this page