channel

1 of 3

noun (1)

chan·​nel ˈcha-nᵊl 

1

a

: the bed where a natural stream of water runs

b

: the deeper part of a river, harbor, or strait

c

: a strait or narrow sea between two close landmasses

crossed the English Channel

d

: a means of communication or expression: such as

(1)

: a path along which information (such as data or music) in the form of an electrical signal passes

(2)

channels plural : a fixed or official course of communication

went through established military channels with his grievances

e

: a way, course, or direction of thought or action

new channels of exploration

f

: a band of frequencies of sufficient width for a single radio or television communication

g

: channeler

h

: an account on an online media sharing or streaming service from which one can make media content (such as videos) available to others using the service

The video was posted Saturday and has been viewed thousands of times since being picked up by YouTube channels devoted to UFOs and unsolved mysteries …

—Mark Price

The Washington Post and Bloomberg covered the Russia-United States summit live on their Twitch channels.

—Alexandra Arriaga

2

a

: a usually tubular enclosed passage : conduit

the poison channel in a snake's fangs

b

: a passage created in a selectively permeable cell membrane by a conformational change in membrane proteins

also : the proteins of such a passage compare ion channel

3

: a long gutter, groove, or furrow

a road channel

4

: a metal bar of flattened U-shaped section

channel

2 of 3

verb

channeled or channelled; channeling or channelling

transitive verb

1

a

: to form, cut, or wear a channel in

The river channeled a new course.

b

: to make a groove in

channel a chair leg

2

: to convey or direct into or through a channel

channel his energy into useful work

3

: to serve as a channeler or intermediary for

a 35,000-year-old female channeled by a 40-year-old housewife

channel

3 of 3

noun (2)

: one of the flat ledges of heavy plank or metal bolted edgewise to the outside of a ship to increase the spread of the shrouds (see shroud entry 1 sense 3a)

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• aqueduct
• canal
• conduit
• course
• flume
• racecourse
• raceway
• watercourse
• waterway

Verb

• canalize
• channelize
• conduct
• direct
• funnel
• pipe
• siphon
• syphon

Examples of channel in a Sentence

Noun (1)

water was drained from the swamp through a specially constructed channel

the world record for swimming the channel between France and Great Britain

you need to make arrangements through the proper channels

had to replace the main water channel

the channel went into a trance and began speaking in what was purported to be the voice of the deceased woman

Verb

She's started channeling her anger towards me.

He channeled millions of dollars into the program.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Parton, 78, announced news of the show's open casting call earlier this month in a video posted to her social media channels. —Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024

Marketing And Sales: Mastering Content And AI Integration In 2025, producing authentic and non-generic content across channels like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok is now the buy-in to get your new coaching program off the ground. —Tom Noh, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

Online life offers both a forum for our reactions and a way of channelling them. —Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2024

Until now, the sanctions coalition refrained from using secondary sanctions to target intermediaries that channel these goods into Russia, allowing evasion networks to grow in Central Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East. —Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English chanel, from Anglo-French, from Latin canalis channel — more at canal

Noun (2)

alteration of chainwale, from chain entry 1 + wale entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1672, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing channel

• back channel
• calcium channel blocker
• channel bass
• channel catfish
• channel-hopping
• channel surfing
• inter-channel
• ion channel

Kids Definition

channel

1 of 2 noun

chan·​nel ˈchan-ᵊl 

1

: the bed of a stream

2

: the deeper part of a river, harbor, or strait

3

: a strait or a narrow sea between two close large areas of land

the English Channel

4

: a way of passing something along

negotiating through diplomatic channels

5

: a group of frequencies close enough in value for a single radio or television communication

6

: a closed passage through which something flows

7

: a long gutter, groove, or track

channel

2 of 2 verb

channeled or channelled; channeling or channelling

1

: to form a channel in

2

: to direct into or through a channel

Medical Definition

channel

noun

chan·​nel ˈchan-ᵊl 

1

: a usually tubular enclosed passage

2

a

: a passage created in a selectively permeable membrane by a conformational change in membrane proteins see ion channel

b

: a protein or cluster of proteins that functions as a channel see calcium channel blocker