Word Study
canal
CIDE DICTIONARY
canal, n. [F. canal, from L. canalis canal, channel; prob. from a root signifying “to cut”; cf. D. kanaal, fr. the French. Cf. Channel, Kennel gutter.].
- An artificial channel filled with water and designed for navigation, or for irrigating land, etc. [1913 Webster]
- A tube or duct; as, the alimentary canal; the semicircular canals of the ear. [1913 Webster]
- A long and relatively narrow arm of the sea, approximately uniform in width; -- used chiefly in proper names; as, Portland Canal; Lynn Canal. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
canal, n.
1 an artificial waterway for inland navigation or irrigation.
2 any of various tubular ducts in a plant or animal, for carrying food, liquid, or air.
3 Astron. any of a network of apparent linear markings on the planet Mars, which are observed from earth but not at close range.
1 an artificial waterway for inland navigation or irrigation.
2 any of various tubular ducts in a plant or animal, for carrying food, liquid, or air.
3 Astron. any of a network of apparent linear markings on the planet Mars, which are observed from earth but not at close range.
Idiom
canal boat a long narrow boat for use on canals. canal ray a beam of positive ions moving through a bored hole in the cathode of a high-vacuum tube.
Etymology
ME f. OF (earlier chanel) f. L canalis or It. canale
THESAURUS
canal
Eustachian tube, Fallopian tube, aqueduct, arroyo, bed, bottleneck, canalization, canalize, carve, chamfer, channel, chisel, conduit, corrugate, course, crack, creek bed, crimp, culvert, cut, dado, defile, dike, ditch, donga, dry bed, duct, emunctory, engrave, entrenchment, fistula, flume, flute, fosse, furrow, gash, goffer, gouge, groove, gulch, gully, gullyhole, gutter, ha-ha, headrace, incise, intestines, irrigation ditch, isthmus, kennel, meatus, moat, narrow, narrows, neck, nullah, ostium, oviduct, pass, pleat, plow, pore, rabbet, race, rifle, river bed, riverway, runnel, rut, salpinx, score, scratch, slit, sluice, spillbox, spillway, strait, streak, stream bed, streamway, striate, sunk fence, swash, swash channel, tailrace, thoracic duct, throat, trench, trough, ureter, urethra, vagina, vas, vessel, wadi, water carrier, water channel, water furrow, water gap, water gate, watercourse, waterway, waterworks, wrinkleROGET THESAURUS
canal
Method
N method, way, manner, wise, gait, form, mode, fashion, tone, guise, modus operandi, MO, procedure, path, road, route, course, line of way, line of road, trajectory, orbit, track, beat, tack, steps, stair, staircase, flight of stairs, ladder, stile, perron, bridge, footbridge, viaduct, pontoon, steppingstone, plank, gangway, drawbridge, pass, ford, ferry, tunnel, pipe, door, gateway, channel, passage, avenue, means of access, approach, adit, artery, lane, loan, alley, aisle, lobby, corridor, back-door, back-stairs, secret passage, covert way, vennel, roadway, pathway, stairway, express, thoroughfare, highway, turnpike, freeway, royal road, coach road, broad highway, King's highway, Queen's highway, beaten track, beaten path, horse road, bridle road, bridle track, bridle path, walk, trottoir, footpath, pavement, flags, sidewalk, crossroad, byroad, bypath, byway, cut, short cut carrefour, private road, occupation road, highways and byways, railroad, railway, tram road, tramway, towpath, causeway, canal, street, speedway, adv, how, in what way, in what manner, by what mode, so, in this way, after this fashion, one way or another, anyhow, somehow or other, by way of, via, in transitu, on the high road to, hae tibi erunt artes.Opening
N opening, hole, foramen, puncture, perforation, fontanel, transforation, pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole, eye of a needle, eyelet, slot, opening, aperture, apertness, hiation, yawning, oscitancy, dehiscence, patefaction, pandiculation, chasm, embrasure, window, casement, abatjour, light, sky light, fan light, lattice, bay window, bow window, oriel, dormer, lantern, outlet, inlet, vent, vomitory, embouchure, orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand, wizen, nozzle, placket, portal, porch, gate, ostiary, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door, arcade, cellarway, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway, lich gate, way, path, thoroughfare, channel, passage, passageway, tube, pipe, water pipe, air pipe, vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula, adjutage, ajutage, ostium, smokestack, chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main, mine, pit, adit, shaft, gallery, alley, aisle, glade, vista, bore, caliber, pore, blind orifice, fulgurite, thundertube, porousness, porosity, sieve, cullender, colander, cribble, riddle, screen, honeycomb, apertion, perforation, piercing, terebration, empalement, pertusion, puncture, acupuncture, penetration, key, opener, master key, password, combination, passe- partout, open, perforated, perforate, wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped, oscitant, gaping, yawning, patent, tubular, cannular, fistulous, pervious, permeable, foraminous, vesicular, vasicular, porous, follicular, cribriform, honeycombed, infundibular, riddled, tubulous, tubulated, piped, tubate, opening, aperient, Int, open sesame!.Conduit
N conduit, channel, duct, watercourse, race, head race, tail race, abito, aboideau, aboiteau, bito, acequia, acequiador, acequiamadre, arroyo, adit, aqueduct, canal, trough, gutter, pantile, flume, ingate, runner, lock-weir, tedge, vena, dike, main, gully, moat, ditch, drain, sewer, culvert, cloaca, sough, kennel, siphon, piscina, pipe, funnel, tunnel, water pipe, waste pipe, emunctory, gully hole, artery, aorta, pore, spout, scupper, adjutage, ajutage, hose, gargoyle, gurgoyle, penstock, weir, flood gate, water gate, sluice, lock, valve, rose, waterworks, pipeline, vascular.For further exploring for "canal" in Webster Dictionary Online