canal
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a man-made river built for boats to travel on or to carry water to farms.
n.an artificial waterway constructed for navigation, drainage, or irrigation purposes.
Simple“The narrow boat moved slowly along the canal through the countryside.”
In context“The expansion of the shipping canal allowed much larger container vessels to bypass the lengthy journey around the southern tip of the continent.”
UsageOften used with 'the' when referring to a specific famous waterway like the Suez Canal.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a tube-like passage in the body of a person, animal, or plant.
n.a tubular passage or duct within an organism that conveys substances or houses specific organs.
Simple“The doctor checked his ear canal to see if there was an infection.”
In context“The surgeon carefully cleared the blockage in the bile canal to restore normal digestive function for the patient.”
UsageCommonly appears in compound terms like 'ear canal' or 'root canal'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.lines once thought to be seen on the surface of the planet Mars.
n.linear markings on the surface of Mars that early astronomers incorrectly believed were artificial waterways.
Simple“Old books sometimes show drawings of canals on Mars made by early astronomers.”
In context“Nineteenth-century observations of Martian canals sparked intense public speculation regarding the existence of an advanced extraterrestrial civilisation.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is historical; modern science has proven these were optical illusions rather than actual structures.
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to dig or build a canal in a specific area.
v.to construct an artificial waterway through a region, typically for drainage or transport.
Simple“The government decided to canal the marshland to prevent flooding.”
In context“Engineers proposed a plan to canal the valley, effectively diverting the seasonal runoff into the reservoir system.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Synonymschannelexcavate
“In June, Ferrari warned that too many people were trying to cool off in rivers and canals without necessarily taking the risks into account.”
“The Central Arizona Project canal brings Colorado River water to cities, tribes and industry in the Phoenix-to-Tucson region.”
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 (kánna, “reed”), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”), from Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 (gi.na). Doublet of channel.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.