Main Entry:

¹ca·nal

Pronunciation:

\kə-ˈnal\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin canalis pipe, channel, from canna reed — more at cane

Date:

15th century

1 : a tubular anatomical passage or channel : duct 2 : channel, watercourse 3 : an artificial waterway for navigation or for draining or irrigating land 4 : any of various faint narrow lines on the planet Mars seen through telescopes and once thought by some to be canals built by Martians