suez canal: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Technical, News
Quick answer
What does “suez canal” mean?
A major artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea via the Isthmus of Suez.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A major artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea via the Isthmus of Suez.
A crucial global shipping route and a significant geopolitical and economic chokepoint, often referenced in discussions of international trade, logistics, and historical events (e.g., the Suez Crisis of 1956).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Pronunciation differs (see IPA).
Connotations
In UK English, stronger historical connotations due to the 1956 Suez Crisis and former colonial interests.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties, spiking in news contexts related to trade, geopolitics, or blockages.
Grammar
How to Use “suez canal” in a Sentence
The [SHIP] transited the Suez Canal.Traffic through the Suez Canal [VERB: increased/halted/resumed].The Suez Canal links [PLACE] and [PLACE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “suez canal” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The tanker is scheduled to transit the Suez Canal tomorrow.
- The company regularly suez-canals its goods to save time. (Non-standard, hypothetical)
American English
- The container ship will transit the Suez Canal next week.
- They decided to route the shipment via the Suez Canal.
adverb
British English
- The goods were shipped Suez-Canal-wards. (Rare/archaic)
- They travelled Suez-Canal-route. (Phrasal)
American English
- The cargo was sent via the Suez Canal. (Prepositional phrase functioning adverbially)
- They sailed through the Suez Canal.
adjective
British English
- The Suez-Canal expansion project was completed in 2015.
- Suez-Canal traffic was disrupted for a week.
American English
- The Suez Canal expansion project was completed in 2015.
- Suez Canal traffic was disrupted for a week.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussions of global supply chains, shipping costs, and logistics.
Academic
Historical studies, geopolitics, economic geography, and engineering.
Everyday
News reports about shipping delays or global trade issues.
Technical
Maritime navigation, canal engineering, and logistics planning.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “suez canal”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “suez canal”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “suez canal”
- Misspelling as 'Suex Canal' or 'Suiz Canal'.
- Incorrect capitalisation: 'suez canal' or 'Suez canal'.
- Using an indefinite article: 'a Suez Canal' (incorrect, as it's one specific canal).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is located in Egypt, traversing the Isthmus of Suez between Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea and Suez on the Red Sea.
It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and Asia, saving approximately 6,000 kilometres (or 8-10 days of sailing time) compared to going around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
It is owned and operated by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), a state-owned authority of the Egyptian government.
A 1956 international crisis when Egypt nationalised the canal, leading to a military intervention by Israel, France, and the United Kingdom. It highlighted the decline of British/French colonial power and the rise of US and Soviet influence in the region.
A major artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea via the Isthmus of Suez.
Suez canal is usually formal, academic, technical, news in register.
Suez canal: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsuːɪz kəˈnæl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsuɪz kəˈnæl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not a typical source for idioms. Can be part of metaphors: 'a Suez Canal for data' meaning a critical bottleneck.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'SUez' for 'Sea-level, Useful, Egypt, Zone'. It's a sea-level canal in Egypt that's incredibly useful.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CHOKEPOINT / ARTERY / THOROUGHFARE FOR GLOBAL COMMERCE.
Practice
Quiz
What two bodies of water does the Suez Canal connect?