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View synonyms for

canal

[ kuh-nal ]

noun

  1. an artificial waterway for navigation, irrigation, etc.
  2. a long narrow arm of the sea penetrating far inland.
  3. a tubular passage or cavity for food, air, etc., especially in an animal or plant; a duct.
  4. channel; watercourse.
  5. Astronomy. one of the long, narrow, dark lines on the surface of the planet Mars, as seen telescopically from the earth.


verb (used with object)

canalled or canaled, canalling or canaling.
  1. to make a canal through.

canal

/ əˈæ /

noun

  1. an artificial waterway constructed for navigation, irrigation, water power, etc
  2. any of various tubular passages or ducts

    the alimentary canal

  3. any of various elongated intercellular spaces in plants
  4. astronomy any of the indistinct surface features of Mars originally thought to be a network of channels but not seen on close-range photographs. They are caused by an optical illusion in which faint geological features appear to have a geometric structure
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to dig a canal through
  2. to provide with a canal or canals
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of canal1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English: “waterpipe, tubular passage,” from Latin , perhaps equivalent to can(na) “reed, pipe” ( cane ) + - -al 1; canal def 5 a mistranslation of Italian canali “channels,” the term used by G. V. Schiaparelli
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Word History and Origins

Origin of canal1

C15 (in the sense: pipe, tube): from Latin channel, water pipe, from canna reed, cane 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It lacks both the massive storage infrastructure and the extensive canals needed to divert such volumes.

From

In a quiet corner of Runcorn, a group of residents who've been fighting to bring a disused canal back to use have found themselves thrust into the centre of a political battle.

From

A fragment of bone was also pushed into his spinal canal.

From

Unlike a typical root canal, the dental experts went in through the bottom of Rico's tooth.

From

For others, it’s as nerve-racking as a root canal.

From

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canakincanal boat