Plughole

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A drainage opening in a sink or bathtub enables water removal while allowing for the installation of a closure device to manage flow
2. An outlet in a sink or bathtub through which water drains away, typically fitted with a stopper or strainer
3. A hole at the bottom of a basin or tub designed to let water pass out and can be blocked to hold water in

Etymology: "Plughole" is a plain compound: "plug" joined to "hole," with nothing hidden in the joining. The "plug" here is the stopper that seals a basin or bath, and the "hole" is the opening it sits in, so the word names the outlet a stopper closes, the place where dirty water leaves a sink or tub. The meaning stays close to its parts. A plug is something that stops an opening, and when it is removed the water runs out through the hole beneath it. English speakers use the compound for that drain outlet itself, so the word describes the exact spot a plug fits into rather than the stopper alone.

Synonyms: drain, outlet