Standard Lemma guide

sprue

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /spɹuː/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uː

1

noun

Meaning 1

A tropical disease causing a sore throat and tongue, and disturbed digestion; psilosis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A channel through which molten metal is poured into the mold during the casting process.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, metallurgy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: downsprue

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Material that cools in the feed channels to a mold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, metallurgy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To remove the sprues (material left in feed channels) from a cast piece.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a chronic disorder that occurs in tropical and non-tropical forms and in both children and adults; nutrients are not absorbed; symptoms include foul-smelling diarrhea and emaciation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tropical sprue, psilosis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disorder, upset

History

Etymology

From Dutch spruw, sprouw. First described by William Hillary.

Unknown.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: tropische spruw — malabsorption syndrome
  • Dutch: Indische spruw — malabsorption syndrome
  • Dutch: aphthae tropicae — malabsorption syndrome
  • Dutch: psilosis — malabsorption syndrome
  • Portuguese: psilose — malabsorption syndrome
  • Spanish: esprúe — malabsorption syndrome
  • Russian: ли́тник (lítnik) — hole allowing melted material into the mold
  • Swedish: nedgjut — hole allowing melted material into the mold
  • Swedish: nedlopp — hole allowing melted material into the mold
  • German: Anguss — Material that cools in the feed channels to a mold