canal

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Medicine Technical

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.

“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.”

C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Science Archaic

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.

“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.”

C1 · Advanced Formal · Technical

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.

“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.”