blowpipe
UK[ˈbləʊpaɪp]US[ˈbloʊpaɪp]
n
A long tube through which a person can blow a dart or pellet as a weapon.
n
A tube used in glassblowing through which air is blown into molten glass.
Morpheme Breakdown
blow
pipe
blow
pipe
Etymology
The word 'blowpipe' is a transparent compound formed from two native English elements. 'Blow' originates from the Proto-Germanic verb blēaną, meaning "to blow," which has cognates across Germanic languages and derives from the Proto-Indo-European root bʰleh₁-, "to swell, blow up." 'Pipe' entered Old English from Vulgar Latin 'pīpa', meaning a tube or conduit, itself likely of imitative origin. The compound logically names the tool by its function and form: a pipe (tube) through which one blows. Its specific applications—for propelling projectiles or shaping glass—are direct, functional extensions of this literal description.
Analysis
Structure: blow + pipe
blow (Old English 'blāwan', meaning to produce an air current; functional role: verb root indicating the action)
pipe (Old English 'pīpe', from Latin 'pīpa', meaning a tube; functional role: noun root indicating the object)
Examples
The indigenous hunter skillfully used a blowpipe to hunt small game in the dense rainforest.
The artisan heated the glass and then carefully shaped it using a blowpipe.
Traditional blowpipes are often made from hollowed-out wood or bamboo.