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