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

The Saudi port of Jeddah on the Red Sea is becoming a new regional "hub", where ships from maritime giants MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk and Cosco arrive via the Suez Canal.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

The analysts are expecting a “slow normalization” based on benchmarking today’s energy shock against every major one that’s taken place in the Middle East since the closure of the Suez Canal in 1956.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

The strait, whose name means Gate of Tears, leads to the Suez Canal and is one of the most important links for ships sailing between Asia and Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

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

What happened was that the Khedive hired a sculptor to make that grand statue to greet ships as they entered the Suez Canal.

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