co·logne  (kə-lōn')  n. A scented liquid made of alcohol and various fragrant oils. Also called eau de cologne. [Short for cologne (water), translation of French (eau de) Cologne, after Cologne.] Word History: The word cologne, denoting toilet water, is from Cologne, the French (and English) name of the German city Köln, where cologne has been made since the beginning of the 18th century. The first use of cologne for toilet water is recorded in English in 1814, with the word being used in the compound cologne water, a translation of eau de Cologne, the French name for this liquid. The ultimate source of the word lies in the history of the city, which stretches back to the Roman Empire: its Latin name was Colōnia, meaning "colony." |
| eau de co·logne (ō' də kə-lōn') n. pl. eaux de cologne (ō', ōz') See cologne. [French eau de Cologne; see cologne.] |
eau de cologne
in perfumery, scented solution usually consisting of alcohol and about 2-6 percent perfume concentrate. Originally, eau de cologne was a mixture of citrus oils from such fruits as lemons and oranges, combined with such substances as lavender and neroli (orange-flower oil); toilet waters were less-concentrated forms of other types of perfume. The two terms, cologne and toilet water, however, have come to be used interchangeably.
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