Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • A ship canal, about 160 km (100 mi) long, traversing the Isthmus of Suez and linking the Gulf of Suez with the Mediterranean Sea. Built under the supervision of Ferdinand de Lesseps, it was opened in 1869 and came under British control after 1875. British withdrawal and Egyptian nationalization of the canal precipitated a crisis during which the canal was temporarily closed to traffic (1956–1957). It closed again during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and reopened in 1975.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A canal linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a ship canal in northeastern Egypt linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Israel said the deployment of an Iranian warship to Syria via the Suez Canal was a "provocation" by Tehran.

    What's News: World-Wide 2011

  • Adding to tensions, Israel Wednesday said the deployment of an Iranian warship to Syria via the Suez Canal was a "provocation" by Iran that Israel couldn't ignore.

    U.S. Spies: Iran Split on Nuclear Program Adam Entous 2011

  • The Suez Canal is a key passageway for oil deliveries between the east and the west, enabling tankers to avoid the long journey around southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope and cutting routes by almost 10,000 kilometers.

    Suez Oil Shipments Proceeding Normally 2011

  • While Egypt is not a major oil-producing country, each day almost 2 million barrels of oil pass through the Suez Canal, which is controlled by Egypt.

    chron.com Chronicle 2011

  • In return, the U.S. is guaranteed airspace for its military operations, access to the Suez Canal, which is a critical waterway for oil tankers, and co-operation on the fight against jihadists.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed HAMIDA GHAFOUR 2011

  • Egypt's importance can be summed up pretty simply, says naval expert Norman Polmar: "Egypt has the Suez Canal, which is vital," he says.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

  • Egypt's importance can be summed up pretty simply, says naval expert Norman Polmar: "Egypt has the Suez Canal, which is vital," he says.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

  • While Egypt is not a major oil-producing country, each day almost two million barrels of oil pass through the Suez Canal, which is controlled by Egypt.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed 2011

  • Egypt's importance can be summed up pretty simply, says naval expert Norman Polmar: "Egypt has the Suez Canal, which is vital," he says.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

  • Egypt's importance can be summed up pretty simply, says naval expert Norman Polmar: "Egypt has the Suez Canal, which is vital," he says.

    NPR Topics: News 2011

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