# tunnel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtʌn(ə)l/ · frequency rank #4,809

## Definitions
1. An underground or underwater passage.
2. A passage through or under some obstacle.
3. A hole in the ground made by an animal, a burrow.
4. A wrapper for a protocol that cannot otherwise be used because it is unsupported, blocked, or insecure.
5. A vessel with a broad mouth at one end, a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor, fluids, etc., into casks, bottles, or other vessels; a funnel.
6. The opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; a flue.
7. A level passage driven across the measures, or at right angles to veins which it is desired to reach; distinguished from the drift, or gangway, which is led along the vein when reached by the tunnel.
8. Anything that resembles a tunnel.

## Etymology
From Middle French tonnelle (“net”) or tonel (“cask”), diminutive of Old French tonne (“cask”), a word of uncertain origin and affiliation. Related to Old English tunne (“tun; cask; barrel”). More at tun.

## Easily confused with
- **turned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tunnel-vs-turned)
- **turner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tunnel-vs-turner)
- **tune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tune-vs-tunnel)
- **tuned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuned-vs-tunnel)
- **tunes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tunes-vs-tunnel)
- **tonne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tonne-vs-tunnel)
- **tuner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tuner-vs-tunnel)
- **tanner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tanner-vs-tunnel)
- **tanned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tanned-vs-tunnel)
- **tinned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinned-vs-tunnel)
- **tinsel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinsel-vs-tunnel)
- **tenner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tenner-vs-tunnel)

## Common misspellings (7)
`tnunel`, `ttunnel`, `tunel`, `tunenl`, `tunnell`, `tunnle`, `utnnel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tunnel