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.

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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)

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English Channel Cultural  

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

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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

Tajik Mohammad, 32, had been piloting an overcrowded dinghy across the English Channel in poor weather conditions on 17 January.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

More than 5,000 people have crossed the English Channel by small boat from France since the start of the year, Home Office data shows.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

The U.K. could resolve its debt problems with tolls at the Strait of Gibraltar and the English Channel, although France might object.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 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

They were chasing me when I stowed away on a boat that got me across The English Channel to France.

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