English Channel

American  

noun

1. an arm of the Atlantic Ocean between southern England and northern France, connected with the North Sea by the Strait of Dover. 350 miles (565 kilometers) long; 20–100 miles (32–160 kilometers) wide.

---

English Channel British  

noun

1. French name: La Manche.  an arm of the Atlantic Ocean between S England and N France, linked with the North Sea by the Strait of Dover. Length: about 560 km (350 miles). Width: between 32 km (20 miles) and 161 km (100 miles)

---

English Channel Cultural  

1. Arm of the Atlantic Ocean between France and Britain.

---

Discover More

A tunnel under the channel connects England and France via auto-carrying train service.

Its cold, choppy waters have been a popular challenge for long-distance swimmers.

A formation of high bluffs on the British side of the English Channel is known as the White Cliffs of Dover.

Example Sentences

The French coastguard has rescued 106 people travelling in a single boat after it broke down during an attempt to cross the English Channel.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Undersea telegraph cables soon crossed the English Channel and other narrow waters, and in 1866, American businessman Cyrus Field laid a cable across the Atlantic Ocean.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

"Longer term, paying fees to travel through the Strait of Hormuz would be like paying fees to use the English Channel," he added.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

While Egypt and Panama charge tolls for their canals, international maritime law doesn’t allow governments to charge fees for passage through natural waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, the English Channel, Gibraltar and Malacca.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The maid let out a scream that must have been heard by ships far out in the English Channel, and she dropped the shoes and ran like the wind down the corridor.

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl