channel
/ˈtʃænəl/
noun
Origin
Latin
canalis — water pipe, groove, channel
Overview
Meaning Now
- A length of water wider than a strait, joining two larger areas of water.
- A band of frequencies used in radio and television transmission.
- A medium through which information or goods are conveyed.
Literal older meaning
a pipe or conduit
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
chanel
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word evolved from the Latin 'canalis', originally referring to a hollow pipe or groove. By the Middle English period, it was commonly used for the natural bed of a river or a strait of water. The expansion to 'radio or television channel' occurred in the 20th century as communication technology advanced, abstracting the idea of a conduit for physical fluid into one for electromagnetic signals.
Evolution
- Latin
canalis
“a water pipe or conduit”
- Old French
chanel
“a canal or pipe”
- Middle English
chanel
“a bed of a stream”
Connections
Word parts
channel
root
a conduit for fluid or signal
Related across languages
French
chenal
a narrow waterway
Spanish
canal
a canal
Explore next
Related to channel
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.