Suez Canal

American  

noun

1. a canal in NE Egypt, cutting across the Isthmus of Suez and connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. 107 miles (172 km) long.

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Suez Canal British  

noun

1. a sea-level canal in NE Egypt, crossing the Isthmus of Suez and linking the Mediterranean with the Red Sea: built (1854–69) by de Lesseps with French and Egyptian capital; nationalized in 1956 by the Egyptians. Length: 163 km (101 miles)

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Suez Canal Cultural  

1. A canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas, completed in 1869 and long controlled by Great Britain. The opera Aïda by Giuseppe Verdi was written to honor the opening of the canal. (See Suez Canal crisis.)

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Example Sentences

Egypt, though not directly involved in the war, has contended with its repercussions on energy, fertilizer and food prices, not to mention disruptions to shipping income Cairo receives through the Suez Canal.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

But the armed group has previously attacked shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which ships use to access the Red Sea and, ultimately, the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Tehran recently told Arab officials that it wanted to charge tolls as Egypt does with the Suez Canal, people familiar with the discussions said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

It impacts an even larger percentage of global container ships, which travel from the Bab el-Mandeb up through the Suez Canal at the Northern end of the Red Sea.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

So they want to examine our beautiful Suez Canal, which opened ten years ago.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman