cannula: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “cannula” mean?
A thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medication, drain fluid, or insert surgical instruments.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medication, drain fluid, or insert surgical instruments.
In medical contexts, any small tube used for access or delivery; in industrial contexts, sometimes refers to a similar tube for fluid transfer.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Neutral medical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both UK and US English, confined to medical/technical fields.
Grammar
How to Use “cannula” in a Sentence
The nurse inserted a cannula [into the patient's vein].Oxygen was delivered [through a nasal cannula].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cannula” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The doctor will cannulate the patient.
- The vein was difficult to cannulate.
American English
- The nurse needs to cannulate the infant.
- They attempted to cannulate the artery.
adjective
British English
- The cannula site was cleaned.
- Cannula insertion requires training.
American English
- Check the cannula placement on the X-ray.
- Cannula size is measured in gauge.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and biological research papers.
Everyday
Rarely used outside of personal medical experiences.
Technical
Core term in clinical medicine, nursing, anesthesiology, and biomedical engineering.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cannula”
- Pronouncing it as /kəˈnuːlə/ (like 'canoodle').
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They will cannula the patient').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A needle is solid and sharp for puncturing. A cannula is a hollow tube that often fits over a needle (stylet) for initial insertion; the needle is then removed, leaving the soft plastic cannula in place.
Very rarely. It is almost exclusively a medical term. In some industrial contexts, similar small-bore tubes might be called cannulas, but this is uncommon.
Intravenous (IV) cannulas for delivering fluids/medication into veins, and nasal cannulas for delivering oxygen into the nostrils.
No. The correct verb is 'to cannulate'. Using 'cannula' as a verb (e.g., 'to cannula a vein') is a common error.
A thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medication, drain fluid, or insert surgical instruments.
Cannula is usually technical/medical in register.
Cannula: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkanjʊlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkænjələ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CANNUla' – it's a CANNula (can) that holds fluid, like a tiny can with a tube.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PATHWAY or CONDUIT for fluids/gases.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a cannula?