panama

Everyday

1. (a name) Panama is a country in Central America that joins North and South America; its capital is Panama City. tree →
2. (a name) The Panama Canal is a famous canal across Panama that lets ships sail between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without going all the way around South America. tree →
3. A panama (or Panama hat) is a light summer hat woven from straw-like leaves; it is actually made in Ecuador. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons Panama is the narrow strip of land between two oceans, and the Panama Canal is a great engineering story: ships are lifted by locks, and it saves thousands of kilometres. Many workers died building it, from disease and accidents. In everyday life a panama is a smart summer hat, worn by cricket fans and grandads. Phrases: the Panama Canal, the Isthmus of Panama, a panama hat.

Examples

• Panama joins North America to South America. tree →
• Ships use the Panama Canal to cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific. tree →
• Locks lift the ships up and down in the Panama Canal. tree →
• The canal saves ships a very long trip around South America. tree →
• Grandad wore his panama hat at the cricket. tree →
• Panama hats are really made in Ecuador. tree →
• Panama City is the capital of Panama. tree →
• Many workers died of malaria while building the Panama Canal. tree →

Note

As a country it is a name, written with a capital P: Panama. The hat can be written with a small p: a panama. Pronounced «PAN-uh-mah». A person from Panama is Panamanian.