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 (someone) 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 of cane

Noun

• baton

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 victim told police he was burned, forced to consume alcohol and beaten with aluminum bats, a walking cane and a belt, per CBS Austin, WDBJ 7 and KHOU 11. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026

Once, Pennsuco was a lively town in far Northwest Dade where hundreds of residents first raised sugar cane, then beef and dairy cattle. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026

Verb

In 1856, violence came to Washington, too, when a South Carolina congressman brutally caned the Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the Senate, two days after Sumner delivered a withering antislavery speech. —Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026

Men can also be caned for missing Friday prayers. —CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

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