Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A specific geographical and administrative zone: The Canal Zone refers to a defined strip of land across the Isthmus of Panama that contained the Panama Canal and its immediate surrounding areas, historically under U.S. administration.

Usage

• The term "Canal Zone" is used historically and geographically to refer to the specific area that was controlled for the operation and defense of the Panama Canal.
• It is typically used with the definite article "the" (e.g., Canal Zone).

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The history of the Canal Zone is central to U.S.-Panamanian relations.
  • My grandfather worked as an engineer in the Canal Zone during the 1960s.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Geopolitical Context: The term often appears in discussions of 20th-century history, treaties (like the Torrijos–Carter Treaties), and the transfer of sovereignty from the United States to Panama.
  • The treaty led to the eventual dissolution of the Canal Zone.

Variants and Related Words

• Panama Canal Zone: A fuller, more formal name for the same area.
• Canal Zone is historically distinct from the modern Panama Canal Authority area.

Synonyms

• Panama Canal Zone (formal variant)

Notes

• "Canal Zone" is a proper noun naming a specific historical entity. It is not used in common idioms or phrasal verbs.
• The reference is specifically to the Panama Canal. The term is not generally applied to zones around other canals.

Noun

1. a zone consisting of a strip of land across the Isthmus of Panama that contains the Panama Canal