cannula
Americannoun
-
cannulas,
plural
-
cannulae
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cannula
First recorded in 1675–85; from New Latin, Latin: “small reed,” equivalent to cann(a) “reed, cane” + -ula diminutive suffix; see origin at cane, -ule
Compare meaning
How does cannula compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
In medicine, a cannula is a very thin tube that's used to deliver medicine. A patient undergoing surgery will often have a cannula inserted into a vein so that anesthesia can be administered. If you've ever had an IV in a hospital or doctor's office, you've had a cannula, which is nothing more than the flexible tube that fluids or medication flows through. Donating blood or having a blood test involves cannulas as well — in this case, a small amount of blood flows from your vein into the cannula. This is a Latin word that means "small reed or pipe," from canna, "reed or pipe."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Until now, hospital pharmacy teams have had to prepare a bag of the drug under sterile conditions which is then given as an infusion into the vein through a cannula.
From BBC ● May 3, 2026
During the trial, STC3141 was delivered through an infusion using a cannula.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 30, 2026
She recalls one member, who has since died, who would regularly poll the group about which Band-Aid should cover their cannula tube.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2024
“I don’t know how long I’ll indefinitely need the oxygen,” she added while gesturing toward her nasal cannula, “but you have no idea how blessed and how grateful I was for this holiday season.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2024
I nod, fixing my nose cannula, the oxygen hissing noisily out.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
They hooked me up to a rebreathing bag and put nasal cannulae up my nose that pumped in pure oxygen.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2020
I ripped it off, only to find it was my rebreathing bag and nasal cannulae.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2020
The infusion cannulae remained in place for 1 min after the infusion.
From Nature ● Mar. 21, 2017
First Litwak and his team insert two cannulae, or tubes, of flexible silicone into the patient's open chest.
From Time Magazine Archive
Be careful in cleaning cannulae not to damage.
From Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy A Manual of Peroral Endoscopy and Laryngeal Surgery by Chevalier Jackson
It weighs between 60 and 200 pounds depending on the model, and is attached to the child with two cannulas almost as large as garden hoses.
From Science Daily ● May 7, 2024
It also recommends surgeons should only carry out SGLs while simultaneously using ultrasound scans so they can see where the cannulas are going.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2023
For example, doctors are turning to nasal cannulas, which are noninvasive prongs that blow oxygen into the nose, before a ventilator.
From The Verge ● Jul. 8, 2020
While inserting catheters and cannulas, she rattled off several reasons she thought the hospital was unprepared.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 9, 2020
Giulianotti put a laparoscopic camera through one of the cannulas and, while watching the screen, used forceps to push the bag toward the incision.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 23, 2019
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