Channels

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃænəlz/

Definitions

1. A narrow natural or artificial watercourse allowing passage or flow ; a pathway or medium used to send or receive messages or signals ; a means or route through which a result or goal is attained
2. A track or conduit designed for guiding water or boats ; a system or method for carrying communications or data ; a structured way to accomplish a particular purpose or deliver an objective
3. A passage that directs flow of water or traffic ; a communication medium such as television or radio outlets ; an organized channel or approach used to reach a desired end

Etymology: "Channels" is the plural of "channel," which is a noun and a verb, so the plural covers both the physical and the abstract senses. The noun traces back to Latin "canalis," meaning "groove," "canal," or "channel," and it reached English through Old French "chanel" and "canel" as Middle English "chanel." It is a doublet of "canal," meaning the two words descend from the same Latin source but came into English by different routes, one through French and the other directly from Latin. The verb grew from the noun. Middle English "chanelen" was formed from the noun, so to channel something once meant to direct it through a groove or passage. The noun's meaning moved along the same lines, from a physical trench or waterway to the passage that carries water or traffic, and then to the broadcasting sense of a television or radio outlet and the figurative sense of a route toward a goal.

Synonyms: routes, pathways, conduits, streams, avenues