co·lon

1 [koh-luhn]
noun, plural co·lons for 1, co·la [-luh] , for 2.
1.
the sign (:) used to mark a major division in a sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation, implication, etc., of what precedes; or to separate groups of numbers referring to different things, as hours from minutes in 5:30; or the members of a ratio or proportion, as in 1 : 2 = 3 : 6.
2.
Classical Prosody. one of the members or sections of a rhythmical period, consisting of a sequence of from two to six feet united under a principal ictus or beat.

Origin:
1580–90; < Latin < Greek kôlon limb, member, clause

Dictionary.com Unabridged

co·lon

2 [koh-luhn]
noun, plural co·lons, co·la [-luh] .
1.
Anatomy. the part of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum. See diag. under intestine.
2.
Zoology. the portion of the digestive tract that is posterior to the stomach or gizzard and extends to the rectum.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek kólon large intestine

00:10
Colon is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

co·lon

3 [koh-lohn; Spanish kaw-lawn] ,
noun, plural co·lons Spanish, co·lo·nes [-law-nes] .
1.
the paper monetary unit of El Salvador, equal to 100 centavos. Abbreviation: C.
2.
a cupronickel or steel coin and monetary unit of Costa Rica, equal to 100 centimos.

Origin:
1890–95; < American Spanish, after (Cristobal) Colón (Christopher) Columbus

co·lon

4 [koh-lon, kuh-lon] .
noun
a colonial farmer or plantation owner, especially in Algeria.

Origin:
1600–10, in sense “husbandmen”; 1955–60 in present sense; < French < Latin colōnus colonist

Co·lón

[koh-lon; Spanish kaw-lawn] .
noun
a seaport in Panama at the Atlantic end of the panama canal.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To colon
Collins
World English Dictionary
colon1 (ˈkəʊlən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , -lons, -lons, -la
1.  the punctuation mark :, usually preceding an explanation or an example of what has gone before, a list, or an extended quotation
2.  this mark used for certain other purposes, such as expressions of time, as in 2:45 p.m., or when a ratio is given in figures, as in 5:3
3.  (in classical prosody) a part of a rhythmic period with two to six feet and one principal accent or ictus
 
[C16: from Latin, from Greek kōlon limb, hence part of a strophe, clause of a sentence]

colon2 (ˈkəʊlən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -lons, -la
the part of the large intestine between the caecum and the rectum
 
[C16: from Latin: large intestine, from Greek kolon]

colon3 (kəˈlɒn, French kɔlɔ̃) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
a colonial farmer or plantation owner, esp in a French colony
 
[French: colonist, from Latin colōnus, from colere to till, inhabit]

colón (kəʊˈləʊn, Spanish koˈlon) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -lons, -lones
1.  the standard monetary unit of Costa Rica, divided into 100 céntimos
2.  the former standard monetary unit of El Salvador, divided into 100 centavos; replaced by the US dollar in 2001
 
[C19: American Spanish, from Spanish, after Cristóbal Colón Christopher Columbus]

Colón (kɒˈlɒn, Spanish koˈlɔn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  Former name: Aspinwall a port in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Chief Caribbean port. Pop: 157 000 (2005 est)
2.  Archipiélago de Colón the official name of the Galápagos Islands

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

colon
"punctuation mark," 1550, from Gk. kolon (with a long initial -o-) "part of a verse," lit. "limb," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to bend, crooked." Meaning evolved from "independent clause" to punctuation mark that sets it off.

colon
"large intestine," late 14c., from Gk. kolon (with a short initial -o-) "large intestine, food, meat."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

colon co·lon (kō'lən)
n. pl. co·lons or co·la (-lə)
The division of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum.


co·lon'ic (kə-lŏn'ĭk) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
colon   (kō'lən)  Pronunciation Key 
The longest part of the large intestine, extending from the cecum to the rectum. Water and electrolytes are absorbed, solidified, and prepared for elimination as feces in the colon. The colon also contains bacteria that help in the body's absorption of nutrients from digested material.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

colon definition


A punctuation mark (:) used to introduce a description, an explanation, or a list. For example, “She would own only one kind of pet: a Siamese cat” and “The little boy announced that he wanted the following for his birthday: two sweaters, a new tent, and three toy cars.”

colon definition


The middle and longest part of the large intestine. (See digestive system.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

colon definition

character
":" ASCII character 58. Common names: ITU-T: colon. Rare: dots; INTERCAL: two-spot.
(1995-09-25)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
Cite This Source
Example sentences
He suffered a scorched colon and is now recovering in hospital, where his
  condition is described as stable.
The rotten egg stink of flatulence has been traced to gas generated by bacteria
  living in the human colon.
Tests suggest the new drug may slow down lung and colon cancer as well.
He had suffered from colon problems during his presidency.
Image for colon
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature