colon

1
[ koh-luhn ]

noun,plural co·lons for 1, co·la [koh-luh] /ˈkoʊ lə/ 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 of colon

1
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin cōlon, from Greek kôlon “limb; part of a clause or period”

Other definitions for colon (2 of 5)

colon2
[ koh-luhn ]

noun,plural co·lons, co·la [koh-luh]. /ˈkoʊ lə/.
  1. Anatomy. the part of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum.

  2. Zoology. the portion of the digestive tract that is posterior to the stomach or gizzard and extends to the rectum.

Origin of colon

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek kólon “large intestine”

Other definitions for colon (3 of 5)

colon3
[ koh-lohn; Spanish kaw-lawn ]

noun,plural co·lons, Spanish co·lo·nes [kaw-law-nes]. /kɔˈlɔ nɛs/.
  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 of colon

3
First recorded in 1890–95; from Latin American Spanish, after (Cristobal) Colón “(Christopher) Columbus”

Other definitions for colon (4 of 5)

colon4
[ koh-lon, kuh-lon ]

noun
  1. a colonial farmer or plantation owner, especially in Algeria.

Origin of colon

4
First recorded in 1600–10, in earlier sense “husbandman”; 1955–60 in present sense; from French, from Latin colōnus “colonist, farmer, tenant farmer”

Other definitions for Colón (5 of 5)

Colón
[ koh-lon; Spanish kaw-lawn ]

noun
  1. a seaport in Panama at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use colon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for colon (1 of 5)

colon1

/ (ˈkəʊlən) /


noun
  1. plural -lons the punctuation mark :, usually preceding an explanation or an example of what has gone before, a list, or an extended quotation

  2. plural -lons 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

  1. plural -la (-lə) (in classical prosody) a part of a rhythmic period with two to six feet and one principal accent or ictus

Origin of colon

1
C16: from Latin, from Greek kōlon limb, hence part of a strophe, clause of a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for colon (2 of 5)

colon2

/ (ˈkəʊlən) /


nounplural -lons or -la (-lə)
  1. the part of the large intestine between the caecum and the rectum

Origin of colon

2
C16: from Latin: large intestine, from Greek kolon

British Dictionary definitions for colon (3 of 5)

colon3

/ (kəˈlɒn, French kɔlɔ̃) /


noun
  1. a colonial farmer or plantation owner, esp in a French colony

Origin of colon

3
French: colonist, from Latin colōnus, from colere to till, inhabit

British Dictionary definitions for colón (4 of 5)

colón

/ (kəʊˈləʊn, Spanish koˈlon) /


nounplural -lons or -lones (Spanish -ˈlones)
  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

Origin of colón

4
C19: American Spanish, from Spanish, after Cristóbal Colón Christopher Columbus

British Dictionary definitions for Colón (5 of 5)

Colón

/ (kɒˈlɒn, Spanish koˈlɔn) /


noun
  1. a port in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Chief Caribbean port. Pop: 157 000 (2005 est): Former name: Aspinwall

  2. Archipiélago de Colón (ˌartʃiˈpjelaɣo ðe) the official name of the Galápagos Islands

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for colon

colon

[ lən ]


  1. 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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for colon (1 of 2)

colon

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

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.