cane

1 of 2

noun

ˈkān 

1

a(1)

: a hollow or pithy, usually slender, and often flexible jointed stem (as of a reed or bamboo)

a fishing pole made of cane

(2)

: any of various slender woody stems

especially : an elongated flowering or fruiting stem (as of a rose) usually arising directly from the ground

b

: any of various tall woody grasses or reeds: such as

(1)

: any of a genus (Arundinaria) of bamboo

(2)

: sugarcane

(3)

: sorghum

c

: rattan sense 2b

especially : split rattan for wickerwork or basketwork

2

: a stick typically of wood or metal with a usually curved handle at one end that is grasped to provide stability in walking or standing

3

: a rod or stick used for flogging

4

: a tiny glass rod used in decorative glasswork (as in millefiori and paperweights)

cane

2 of 2

verb

caned; caning

transitive verb

1

: to beat with a cane

he sat in a professor's chair and caned sophomores for blowing spitballs

—H. L. Mencken

2

: to weave or furnish with cane

cane the seat of a chair

Synonyms

Noun

• bastinado
• bastinade
• bat
• baton
• billy
• billy club
• bludgeon
• club
• cudgel
• nightstick
• rod
• rung [Scottish]
• sap
• shillelagh
• shillalah
• staff
• truncheon
• waddy [Australian]

Examples of cane in a Sentence

Noun

In the past, some teachers would resort to the cane when students misbehaved.

The chair seat is made of cane.

Verb

In the past, some teachers would cane students who misbehaved.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The interiors were inspired by its serene setting in the Serengeti and showcase African art, a neutral color palette, and natural textures, such as linen, clay, grass, and cane. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2025

Black spot spores can overwinter on rose canes and leaves. —Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025

Verb

Visuals also showed some people receiving CPR. Uncontrollable crowd Police started caning people at one gate, leading to more chaos, said Mithun Singh, a software engineer among the crowd. —USA Today, 5 June 2025

Both failed to fire, and the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, with a hair-trigger temper, began caning the would-be assassin. —Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Middle French, from Old Occitan cana, from Latin canna, from Greek kanna, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian qanū reed, Hebrew qāneh

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

circa 1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cane

• candy cane
• cane corso
• cane sugar
• cane toad
• dumb cane
• malacca cane
• sword cane
• the cane

Rhymes for cane

• ane
• bane
• blain
• brain
• chaine
• cheyne
• deign
• drain
• fain
• fane
• feign
• gain

Kids Definition

cane

1 of 2 noun

ˈkān 

1

a

: a jointed plant stem that is usually slender and more or less flexible

b

: any of various tall woody grasses or reeds

especially : sugarcane

2

a

: walking stick sense 1

b

: a rod for flogging

c

: rattan sense 2

cane

2 of 2 verb

caned; caning

1

: to beat with a cane

2

: to make with cane

cane the seat of a chair