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canal

ca·nal

UK/kəˈnal/ US/kəˈnæl/ fairly common
noun (3) verb (1)

noun

1.

(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion

2.

a bodily passage or tube lined with epithelial cells and conveying a secretion or other substance

  • “the tear duct was obstructed”
  • “the alimentary canal”
  • “poison is released through a channel in the snake”
Synonyms
3.

long and narrow strip of water made for boats or for irrigation

verb

1.

provide (a city) with a canal

Synonyms

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French canal, from Old French canal, from Latin canālis (“channel, canal, narrow passage”), from canna (“reed, cane”), from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna, “reed”), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”). Doublet of channel. See also cane and -al.

Phrases

  • alar canal
  • alimentary canal
  • auditory canal
  • birth canal
  • C&D Canal
  • canal basin
  • canal boat
  • canal bridge

Related words

Word family

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.