Etymology Dictionary

CANAL,   a conduit for water.  (F.,—L.)   'The walls, the woods, and long canáls reply;' Pope, Rape of the Lock, iii. 100.—F. canal, 'a channell, kennell, furrow, gutter;' Cot.—Lat. canalis, a channel, trench, canal, conduit; also, a splint, reed-pipe.    β. The first a is short, which will not admit of the old favourite derivation from canna, a reed; besides which, a furrow bears small resemblance to a reed.   The original sense was 'a cutting,' from ✔SKAN, longer form of ✔SKA, to cut.   Cf. Skt. khan, to dig, pierce; khani, a mine.   See Fick, i. 802.   The sense of 'reed-pipe' for canalis may have been merely due to popular etymology.   ¶ Perhaps the accent on the latter syllable in E. was really due to a familiarity with Du. kanaal, itself borrowed from French.   See also Channel, Kennel.