1. an underground channel or tunnel used to transport water from an aquifer in highland areas to surface irrigation ditches in lowland areas
Usage: technical; Middle Eastern irrigation systems

Examples

• The ancient qanat system provided water to desert communities for centuries.
• Engineers studied the qanat to understand traditional water management techniques.
• The qanat channels water from mountain aquifers to agricultural fields.
• Many qanats in Iran are still functioning after thousands of years.
• The construction of a qanat required skilled workers who could dig underground tunnels.
• Archaeologists discovered remnants of an ancient qanat system in the desert.