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column definition

col·umn (käl′əm)

noun

  1. a slender upright structure, generally consisting of a cylindrical shaft, a base, and a capital; pillar: it is usually a supporting or ornamental member in a building
  2. anything like a column in shape or function a column of water, the spinal column
  3. a formation of troops, ships, etc. in a file or adjacent files
  4. any of the vertical sections of printed matter that are side by side on a page, separated by a rule or blank space
  5. (any of) a series of feature articles appearing regularly in a newspaper or magazine, by a particular writer or about a certain subject

Etymology: ME & OFr colomne < L columna, collateral form of columen, column, pillar < IE base *kel-, to project > hill, holm, Gr kolophōn

Related Forms:

  • columnar co·lum′·nar (kə lum′nər) adjective
  • columned col′·umned (-əmd) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical column definition - medical

column Synonyms

column

n.

  1. A post

    pillar, support, prop, shaft, monument, totem, pylon, obelisk, stele, standard, tower, minaret, cylinder, mast, caryatid, telamon, peristyle, monolith, upright, pedestal, pilaster, pier; see also post 1.

    Types of architectural columns include: fluted, plain, round, square, Egyptian, Doric, Greek, Corinthian, Ionic, Composite, Roman, Romanesque, Tuscan, Gothic.

  2. Journalistic commentary

    comment, feature article, editorial, syndicated column; see article 2, exposition 2.

  3. A military formation

    single file, string, platoon, company; see army 2, caravan, line 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

column Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • write: I used to ghost write a column for Tommy in the Evening Post.

Adjective modifier

  • vertebral: The rear part of the vertebral column has not yet been found.

Modifies a noun

  • inch: The media has dedicated more than its fair share of column inches to the burgeoning ringtone market over the past 12 months.

Noun used with modifier

  • steering: The steering column could be raised or lowered to suit the height of the driver.
column usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

column quotes

It quickly swelled into the shape of a gigantic question mark, the middle of which was a vivid crimson, and as this thunderhead-like column billowed upward through the sky, she could see a red ball of fire at its core.

-Agawa, Hiroyuki

Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast, Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round, And, while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn Throws up a steamy column, and the cups, That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each, So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

-Cowper,William

La quinta columna. The fifth column.

-Mola, Emilio

column quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"column." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/column>

APA Style

column. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/column

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