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Where does the word "canal" come from? It comes from Latin canalis, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "canal" come from? It comes from Latin canalis, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
Canal’s story begins in Latin: canalis meant “water pipe, channel.” From 'canna', reed, the root of 'cane'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as canal. Also gave 'channel' through a different route. It reached English by 1400s as canal. Man-made waterways for boats date from the 1600s. Today, canal means an artificial waterway.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient canalis "water pipe, channel", from 'canna', reed, the root of 'cane'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval canal "channel", also gave 'channel' through a different route.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s canal "pipe; channel", man-made waterways for boats date from the 1600s.