channel

channel — noun

IPA/ˈtʃænl/
KK[tʃˈænəl]IPA/ˈtʃænl/
  • channelsingular
  • channelsplural

1. a company or service that sends out television shows or radio programmes for peo

1.nounA2
Definition

a company or service that sends out television shows or radio programmes for people to watch or listen to on their sets

Example

Aiko watched a cooking show on the local news channel every Saturday morning.

collocation: news channel / sports channel / movie channel

The documentary channel is running a series about ocean life this month.

Common collocations
  • change channel
  • switch channels
  • news channel
  • sports channel
  • movie channel
  • cable channel
  • TV channel
  • turn to a channel
  • channel number
Synonyms
  • station

    suggests a specific local or physical broadcast facility rather than a service or brand

  • network

    refers to a group of stations that share content, not a single service

  • broadcaster

    focuses on the organization that produces content rather than the signal path

2. a specific range of radio wave frequencies that a station uses to send its telev

2.nounB1
Definition

a specific range of radio wave frequencies that a station uses to send its television or radio signals through the air

Example

The radio station moved to a new channel to improve its sound quality.

Pilots communicate with the control tower on a dedicated radio channel.

collocation: on a dedicated channel

Common collocations
  • radio channel
  • frequency channel
  • tune to a channel
  • switch channels
  • channel number
Synonyms
  • frequency

    a more general term for the number of wave cycles per second; channel implies an allocated band assigned to a station

  • band

    a range of frequencies grouped together; broader than a single channel

Usage Note

Often interchangeable with sense 1 in everyday speech (e.g. 'What channel is that on?'), but in technical contexts this sense refers specifically to the wave frequency rather than the organization.

3. a navigable stretch of water that ships can follow safely, such as the deepest p

3.nounB1
Definition

a navigable stretch of water that ships can follow safely, such as the deepest part of a waterway or a narrow passage connecting two larger seas

Example

Ships must stay within the marked channel to avoid hitting the rocks.

collocation: stay within / follow the channel

The narrow channel between the two islands is dangerous for large boats.

Common collocations
  • deep-water channel
  • shipping channel
  • navigation channel
  • marked channel
  • dredge a channel
  • follow the channel
  • channel buoy
Synonyms
  • passage

    a more general term for any way through; channel emphasises a defined navigable route

  • strait

    a narrow passage connecting two seas, usually natural and larger than a typical channel

  • waterway

    any body of water used for travel, including canals and rivers

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 4 (THE ENGLISH CHANNEL): this sense refers to any navigable water passage, not specifically the one between England and France.

4. the body of salt water lying between the southern coast of England and the north

4.nounB2
Definition

the body of salt water lying between the southern coast of England and the northern coast of France, linking the Atlantic Ocean with the North Sea

Example

The ferry crossed the English Channel from Dover to Calais in ninety minutes.

collocation: cross the (English) Channel

A record number of swimmers attempted to cross the Channel last summer.

Common collocations
  • cross the Channel
  • the English Channel
  • Channel Tunnel
  • Channel ferry
  • Channel crossing
  • across the Channel

Usage Note

Capitalised as a proper noun. Often shortened to 'the Channel' in British English when the context is clear.

Common Mistakes

We crossed the English channel on a ferry.
We crossed the English Channel on a ferry.
The geographic proper name is always capitalised.

5. a system or route used for sending information, expressing thoughts or feelings,

5.nounC2
Definition

a system or route used for sending information, expressing thoughts or feelings, or achieving a particular result

Example

The company uses social media as its main channel for customer support.

collocation: main channel for + purpose

Diplomatic channels were used to resolve the border dispute peacefully.

often plural in formal contexts: diplomatic / official channels

Common collocations
  • proper channels
  • official channels
  • diplomatic channels
  • channel of communication
  • channel for expression
  • go through channels
  • main channel
  • direct channel
Synonyms
  • medium

    suggests the form communication takes (TV, print, digital) rather than the route it follows

  • route

    more literal, used for both physical paths and abstract processes

  • avenue

    similar abstract sense but suggests possibility or potential rather than an established system

Usage Note

Frequently used in the plural (channels) when referring to established or official routes of communication. Often paired with 'through' (through channels) and 'proper' (proper channels).

6. a separate path or connection in an electronic or computer system through which

6.nounB2
Definition

a separate path or connection in an electronic or computer system through which data, sound, or electrical signals travel from one part to another

Example

A stereo system has two separate channels for the left and right speakers.

collocation: left channel / right channel (audio)

The laptop sends audio through both channels to create surround sound.

Common collocations
  • left channel
  • right channel
  • audio channel
  • data channel
  • input channel
  • output channel
  • channel selector
  • channel strip
Synonyms
  • circuit

    a complete loop through which electricity flows; channel is the dedicated path within a system

  • line

    more general; can refer to any wired or wireless connection

Usage Note

In audio contexts, 'left channel' and 'right channel' are standard collocations. In computing, 'data channel' or 'communication channel' are common.

7. a way of supplying products, services, or information to the people or businesse

7.nounB2
Definition

a way of supplying products, services, or information to the people or businesses that want or need them

Example

The farm sells vegetables through local markets and online channels.

collocation: distribution channel / sales channel

New digital channels helped the small brand reach customers across the country.

Common collocations
  • distribution channel
  • sales channel
  • retail channel
  • online channel
  • wholesale channel
  • marketing channel
  • channel partner
  • channel strategy
Synonyms
  • outlet

    suggests a specific store or platform that sells goods, rather than the system of supply

  • pipeline

    used for a steady supply chain; more informal in business contexts

Usage Note

Commonly used in business contexts with modifiers like 'distribution', 'sales', 'retail', 'wholesale', or 'online'. Often appears in the plural when referring to multiple methods.

8. a designated route at an airport, seaport, or border where officials check trave

8.nounB2
Definition

a designated route at an airport, seaport, or border where officials check travellers' bags and documents as they leave

Example

Passengers with nothing to declare can walk straight through the green channel.

collocation: green channel / red channel (customs)

The customs officer directed travellers to the red channel for bag inspection.

Common collocations
  • green channel
  • red channel
  • blue channel
  • customs channel
  • channel for baggage inspection
  • go through the channel

Usage Note

At airports and ports, the system typically uses colour-coded channels: green for nothing to declare, red for goods that require payment of duty, and (in some countries) blue for EU arrivals.

channel — verb

IPA/ˈtʃæn.əl/
KK[tʃˈænəl]IPA/ˈtʃæn.əl/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to organisations that produce and send out television or radio content, but they differ in scope and emphasis. Channel focuses on the service or brand you tune in to on your device (e.g., 'CNN is a news channel'). Station commonly suggests a local broadcast facility with a physical transmitter (e.g., 'the local radio station'). Network refers to a group of affiliated stations under one name that share programmes across a region or country (e.g., 'the national television network'). Broadcaster is the broadest term, covering any organisation that creates and transmits content, including public-service corporations (e.g., 'the British broadcaster BBC'). In everyday use, channel and station overlap heavily — many speakers say 'What channel is that on?' and 'Which station is playing this song?' interchangeably, especially for radio.

channel ↗station ↗network ↗broadcaster ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • TV channel
  • radio channel
  • news channel
  • communication channel
  • distribution channel
  • sales channel
  • data channel
  • audio channel

Phrases

  • change the channel
  • switch channels
  • tune to a channel
  • go through channels
  • open a channel
  • channel of communication
  • channel of distribution

Prepositions

  • on a channel
  • through a channel
  • across a channel
  • over a channel
  • via a channel

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word channel entered English around the 1200s from Old French 'chanel' (modern French 'chenal'), meaning a riverbed or a watercourse. The French word came from Latin 'canalis', which meant a pipe, groove, or water channel — itself related to 'canna' (a reed or hollow tube). The sense of a television or radio frequency developed in the early 1900s with the rise of wireless broadcasting, and the verb sense of directing something (money, energy, emotion) followed naturally in the mid-1900s.