What does syphon mean?
Syphon is an alternative English spelling of siphon, the name for a flexible tube or pipe used to draw liquid from one container or place to another. Its distinctive operation depends on pressure differences within the tube and the pressure of the surrounding air, allowing liquid to rise over the top of the tube before flowing downward. As a verb, syphon means to draw off or transfer liquid in this way, as when fuel is removed from a tank or wine is drawn from a barrel. The word can therefore describe both the device and the act it performs. Syphon is not a separate scientific term from siphon; it is a recognized spelling variant, though siphon is the more usual form in current English. The spelling is useful in recognizing older or variant usage, while the word itself remains practical vocabulary for describing how liquids are moved when ordinary pouring or pumping is impractical.
A flexible tube or pipe used to draw liquid from one container or location to another, usually by means of pressure differences that allow the liquid to pass over a barrier.
"A garden hose was not suitable, so he used a syphon to empty the aquarium."
The noun is countable, with the regular plural syphons.
To draw off or transfer liquid using a syphon.
"Workers syphoned the remaining fuel into approved containers."
The verb commonly takes a direct object, especially a liquid or the container from which it is being drawn.
Syphon is a countable noun; use syphons for more than one syphon.
"The laboratory stores spare syphons in a locked cabinet."
A syphon can move liquid over a barrier by exploiting pressure differences, even when gravity alone would not carry it that way.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does syphon come from?
The English word comes through Latin from Ancient Greek σῖφων (sîphōn), meaning “tube” or “pipe.” The underlying Greek verb σίφων (síphōn), “to sip,” is commonly associated with this noun and with the movement of liquid. Syphon developed as an English spelling variant of siphon, while related forms such as siphonal and siphonage preserve the same Greek-Latin root.
Related word forms
How syphon is actually used
Syphon is a recognized spelling variant rather than a separate technical term. It is somewhat less usual than siphon in contemporary English and is often encountered in older writing, product descriptions, and specialized contexts. The noun is countable, while the verb commonly takes a direct object.
Easily confused with syphon
Syphon and siphon are variant spellings of the same word; siphon is the more usual modern spelling.