# canal

/kəˈnæɫ/ (US) · /kənˈæl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/canal
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. artificial waterway

noun · CEFR B1

a man-made river built for boats to travel on or to carry water to farms.

For teachers: an artificial waterway constructed for navigation, drainage, or irrigation purposes.

- The narrow boat moved slowly along the canal through the countryside.
- The expansion of the shipping canal allowed much larger container vessels to bypass the lengthy journey around the southern tip of the continent.

Usage: Often used with 'the' when referring to a specific famous waterway like the Suez Canal.

### 2. anatomy or botany

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a tube-like passage in the body of a person, animal, or plant.

For teachers: a tubular passage or duct within an organism that conveys substances or houses specific organs.

- The doctor checked his ear canal to see if there was an infection.
- The surgeon carefully cleared the blockage in the bile canal to restore normal digestive function for the patient.

Usage: Commonly appears in compound terms like 'ear canal' or 'root canal'.

### 3. astronomy

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

lines once thought to be seen on the surface of the planet Mars.

For teachers: linear markings on the surface of Mars that early astronomers incorrectly believed were artificial waterways.

- Old books sometimes show drawings of canals on Mars made by early astronomers.
- Nineteenth-century observations of Martian canals sparked intense public speculation regarding the existence of an advanced extraterrestrial civilisation.

Teaching tip: This sense is historical; modern science has proven these were optical illusions rather than actual structures.

### 4. to build a waterway

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to dig or build a canal in a specific area.

For teachers: to construct an artificial waterway through a region, typically for drainage or transport.

- The government decided to canal the marshland to prevent flooding.
- Engineers proposed a plan to canal the valley, effectively diverting the seasonal runoff into the reservoir system.

Usage: This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

## Examples

- The boat travels slowly down the narrow canal.
- The city built a new canal to improve trade and transport goods more efficiently to the coast.
- Engineers designed the canal with a series of locks to manage the significant elevation changes between the two river systems, ensuring safe passage for heavy cargo vessels.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.