canalisations

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableBritishtechnical

   systems of canals or pipes built to carry water or other liquids

   Grammar: Countable; the singular is 'canalisation'. Often used in the plural when talking about networks.

   Patterns

   • canalisations for something
   • a network of canalisations

   The old canalisations under the city were replaced last year.

   New canalisations were built to bring water to the farms.

   Engineers inspected the canalisations for leaks.

2. 2noununcountableBritishtechnical

   the act or process of building canals or channels

   Grammar: Uncountable; refers to the activity or process, not individual structures.

   Patterns

   • the canalisation of a river
   • canalisation work

   The canalisation of the river took many years.

   Canalisation projects can harm wildlife if not planned carefully.

Word forms

Common combinations

network of canalisations

The city has an extensive network of canalisations.

build canalisations

Workers built new canalisations to prevent flooding.

underground canalisations

Underground canalisations carry waste water away.

repair canalisations

They had to repair the canalisations after the earthquake.

Synonyms and how they differ

canals

Refers to man-made waterways, often larger and open to the air; canalisations are usually enclosed pipes or channels.

drainage

The system for carrying away waste water, often including canalisations but also other parts.

pipes

General word for tubes that carry liquids; canalisations is more technical and implies a planned system.

Word family

canal noun

a long man-made waterway for boats or irrigation

canalise verb

to build a canal through an area, or to direct something into channels

canalisation noun

singular form of the headword

canalization noun

American spelling

Commonly confused: canalisations or canalizations?

Practice

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