Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French canal, from Old French canal, from Latin canālis (channel; canal), from canālis (canal), from canna (reed, cane), from Ancient Greek κάννα or kánna (reed), from Akkadian 𒄀 or qanû (reed), from Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 or gi.na. Doublet of channel.
Noun
canal (plural canals)
- An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
- (anatomy) A tubular channel within the body.
- (astronomy) One of the faint, hazy markings resembling straight lines on early telescopic images of the surface of Mars; one of the Martian canals.
Usage notes
Occasionally applied to similar natural waterways, such as Hood Canal.
Derived terms
- alar canal
- alimentary canal
- auditory canal
- birth canal
- canal basin
- canalize
- carpal canal
- central canal
- cervical canal
- ear canal
- Panama Canal
- ship canal
- Suez Canal
Related terms
- channel
- channelization
- channelize
- canalization
Verb
canal (third-person singular simple present canals, present participle canaling or canalling, simple past and past participle canaled or canalled)
- To dig an artificial waterway in or to (a place), especially for drainage.
- To travel along a canal by boat.
Credits
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