canal

1 of 2

noun

ca·​nal kə-ˈnal How to pronounce canal (audio)
Synonyms of canal
1
: a tubular anatomical passage or channel : duct
2
: channel, watercourse
3
: an artificial waterway for navigation or for draining or irrigating land
4
: any of various faint narrow lines on the planet Mars seen through telescopes and once thought by some to be canals built by Martians

canal

2 of 2

verb

canalled or canaled; canalling or canaling

transitive verb

: to construct a canal through or across

Synonyms of canal

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Noun

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Examples of canal in a Sentence

Noun the Panama Canal opened a much easier and shorter passageway from the Atlantic to the Pacific
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Noun
There were no signs that the shark had been feeding regularly during its monthlong stay in the canal, and falling water temperatures could pose additional health risks, officials say. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Musk already has this via Larry, a close business associate who bankrolled the Twitter buy, but writing an eleven-figure check has a funny way of prying open the canal further. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 In antiquity, Rome’s aqueducts and China’s canals and flood-control works were the pipelines of centuries of hegemony. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 The canal authority says that, when completed, the new reservoir will both boost its operations by 10 to 15% and help supply water to nearby communities. — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for canal

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin canalis pipe, channel, from canna reed — more at cane

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of canal was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing canal

Rhymes for canal

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Browse Nearby Words

canakin
canal
canalboat
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Cite this Entry

“Canal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canal. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

canal

noun
ca·​nal
kə-ˈnal
1
: a tube-shaped bodily passage or channel : duct
2
: an artificial waterway for boats or for draining or irrigating land
3
: any of various faint narrow lines on the planet Mars seen through telescopes and formerly thought to be canals built by Martians

Medical Definition

canal

noun
ca·​nal kə-ˈnal How to pronounce canal (audio)
: a tubular anatomical passage or channel : duct see alimentary canal, Haversian canal, inguinal canal

More from Merriam-Webster on canal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about canal

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