A pipe or tube that carries water or liquid downward, especially a drain pipe from a roof or gutter.
From 'down' (downward direction, from Old English 'dūn') plus 'pipe' (from Middle English, likely from Old French 'pipe' or Latin 'pipa'). Compound formed in the 18th-19th centuries as plumbing systems became more complex.
British English speakers call what Americans call a 'downspout' a 'downpipe'—same thing, different dialects! This is a practical word born from the industrial revolution when building codes required better rainwater management systems.
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