/həˈvərZHən/
Noun, pl. Haversian canals
1. A series of tubes around narrow channels formed by lamellae. This is the region of bone called compact bone. Osteons are arranged in parallel to the long axis of the bone. The Haversian canals surround blood vessels and nerve cells throughout the bone and communicate with osteocytes in lacunae (spaces within the dense bone matrix that contain the living bone cells) through canaliculi. This unique arrangement is conducive to mineral salt deposits and storage which gives bone tissue its strength. (wikipedia.org)
2. A hollow channel in the center of an osteon, running parallel to the length of a bone. (wiktionary.org)
3. Any of the small vascular canals at the center of the osteon, running longitudinally to the length of a bone, and containing blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics. (biology-online.org)
4. Any of the minute tubes that form a network in bone and contain blood vessels. (Google Dictionary)
5. Any of the many tiny canals that contain blood vessels and connective tissue and that form a network in bone. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)
Also called Canals of Havers, named after British physician Clopton Havers