chute

1 of 2

noun

ˈshüt 

variants or less commonly shute

1

a

: fall sense 6b

b

: a quick descent (as in a river) : rapid

2

: an inclined plane, sloping channel, or passage down or through which things may pass : slide

3

: parachute

4

: spinnaker

chute

2 of 2

verb

chuted; chuting

transitive verb

: to convey by a chute

intransitive verb

1

: to go in or as if in a chute

2

: to utilize a chute (as by passing ore down it)

Examples of chute in a Sentence

Noun

She dropped the towels into the laundry chute.

children sliding down a water chute

The skiers came racing down the chute.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tucked into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos rises from 9,207 to 12,163 feet and packs more than 1,200 acres of terrain into a surprisingly distinctive ski experience, from groomed runs to steep chutes and bowls. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Residential floor plans in 2026 are sadly lacking in laundry chutes, milk doors and dumbwaiters, but innovations in home efficiency continue to evolve. — Jenny Singer, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026

Verb

Ten tons of mud chuted down Beverly Glen, killing a woman and her baby. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

The other standout feature is its grind retention, which refers to how much coffee gets caught in the burrs or chute and left behind. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Old French, from cheoir to fall, from Latin cadere — more at chance

First Known Use

Noun

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1884, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing chute

• out of the chute

Rhymes for chute

• boot
• bruit
• brut
• brute
• coot
• cute
• flute
• fruit
• hoot
• jute
• loot
• lute

Kids Definition

chute

noun

variants also shute

ˈshüt

1

: an inclined plane, sloping channel, or passage down or through which things may pass

a coal chute

a mail chute

2

: parachute entry 1 sense 1