an artificial waterway for navigation, irrigation, etc.
2.
a long narrow arm of the sea penetrating far inland.
3.
a tubular passage or cavity for food, air, etc., esp. in an animal or plant; a duct.
4.
channel; watercourse.
5.
Astronomy. one of the long, narrow, dark lines on the surface of the planet Mars, as seen telescopically from the earth.
–verb (used with object)
6.
to make a canal through.
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME: waterpipe, tubular passage < L canālis, perh. equiv. to can(na) reed, pipe (see cane) + -ālis-al1; def. 5 a mistranslation of It canali channels, term used by G. V. Schiaparelli]
An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
Anatomy A tube, duct, or passageway.
Astronomy One of the faint, hazy markings resembling straight lines on early telescopic images of the surface of Mars.
tr.v.
ca·nalled or ca·naled, ca·nal·ling or ca·nal·ing, ca·nals
To dig an artificial waterway through: canal an isthmus.
To provide with an artificial waterway or waterways.
[Partly French, channel, and partly Middle English, tube (from Medieval Latin canāle), both from Latin canālis, tube, channel, probably from canna, small reed; see cane.]
c.1449, from L. canalis "pipe, groove, channel," from canna "reed." Originally "a pipe for liquid," its sense shifted by 1673 to "artificial waterway."
(astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion
2.
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" [syn: duct]
3.
long and narrow strip of water made for boats or for irrigation
Canal Fulton, OH (village, FIPS 11304) Location: 40.89001 N, 81.58454 W Population (1990): 4157 (1556 housing units) Area: 6.0 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 44614
Canal Point, FL Zip code(s): 33438
Canal Winchester, OH (village, FIPS 11332) Location: 39.84685 N, 82.82136 W Population (1990): 2617 (989 housing units) Area: 14.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 43110
South Canal, OH (CDP, FIPS 73118) Location: 41.17731 N, 80.98682 W Population (1990): 1319 (482 housing units) Area: 4.2 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)
Ca*nal"\, 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.]1. An artificial channel filled with water and designed for navigation, or for irrigating land, etc. 2. (Anat.) A tube or duct; as, the alimentary canal; the semicircular canals of the ear. Canal boat, a boat for use on a canal; esp. one of peculiar shape, carrying freight, and drawn by horses walking on the towpath beside the canal. Canal lock. See Lock.
Can`a*lic"u*late\, Canaliculated \Can`a*lic"u*la`ted\, a. [L. canaliculatus channeled, fr. canaliculus, dim. of canalis. See Canal.] Having a channel or groove, as in the leafstalks of most palms.
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Audio Help [kuh-nal] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -nalled or -naled, -nal·ling or -nal·ing. 
