tunnel
tunnel Lexical Profile
tunnel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An artificial underground passage, especially one built through a hill or under a road, river, or building.
"The train sped through the dark tunnel beneath the mountain."
An underground passage dug by a burrowing animal.
"The rabbits dug a complex network of tunnels under the garden to stay safe from predators."
A secure, encrypted connection established between two points on a computer network.
"The IT department set up a virtual private network tunnel to safely transmit the sensitive financial data."
• verb
To dig or force a passage underground or through an obstacle.
"The prisoners tunneled under the stone wall for months to make their escape."
To transmit data securely by encapsulating it within a different network protocol.
"The software tunnels the local traffic through a proxy server to obscure the user's location."
• Rhymes for tunnel
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle French 'tonnelle', a diminutive of 'tonne' (cask or barrel), originally referring to a tubular net used for catching partridges. In the 15th century, the meaning extended to denote a subterranean passage due to the tubular shape.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.