Origin: Latin suffix -al
Canal has 7 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Verb · Proper Noun
(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion
"The ancient maps labeled the red streaks on Mars as canals, but modern telescopes reveal them to be merely an optical illusion created by human perception."
a bodily passage or tube lined with epithelial cells and conveying a secretion or other substance
"the tear duct was obstructed"
"the alimentary canal"
"poison is released through a channel in the snake's fangs"
long and narrow strip of water made for boats or for irrigation
"The ancient canal allowed farmers to irrigate their fields during the dry season."
An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
"The cargo ship traveled through the canal to reach the inland port without navigating around the mountains."
In plain English: A canal is an artificial waterway built to let boats travel between two places where there are no natural rivers or lakes.
"The old canal runs through the middle of the city, connecting two large lakes."
Usage: A canal is a man-made channel built specifically for navigation or irrigation rather than being naturally formed. You can also use the verb form when describing the act of digging such a passage through land, often for draining wet areas.
To dig an artificial waterway in or to (a place), especially for drainage
"The engineers decided to canal the low-lying marshland to prevent flooding during the rainy season."
In plain English: To canal something means to force it into a narrow channel or path, usually by building walls around it.
"The heavy rain canaled our low garden into a small stream that flowed toward the road."
A surname.
"The Canal family has lived in that neighborhood for generations."
The word canal comes from the Latin canālis, which originally meant "channel." This Latin term was borrowed from Ancient Greek and ultimately traces back to a Sumerian root meaning "reed."