colon

1 of 4

noun (1)

co·​lon ˈkō-lən How to pronounce colon (audio)
plural colons or cola ˈkō-lə How to pronounce colon (audio)
: the part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum

colon

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural colons or cola
1
plural cola : a rhythmical unit of an utterance
specifically, in Greek or Latin verse : a system or series of from two to not more than six feet having a principal accent and forming part of a line
2
plural colons
a
: a punctuation mark : used chiefly to direct attention to matter (such as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification) that follows
b
: the sign : used between the parts of a numerical expression of time in hours and minutes (as in 1:15) or in hours, minutes, and seconds (as in 8:25:30), in a bibliographical reference (as in Nation 130:20), in a ratio where it is usually read as "to" (as in 4:1 read "four to one"), or in a proportion where it is usually read as "is to" or when doubled as "as" (as in 2:1::8:4 read "two is to one as eight is to four")

colon

3 of 4

noun (3)

co·​lon kȯ-ˈlōⁿ How to pronounce colon (audio)
kə-ˈlōn
: a colonial farmer or plantation owner

colón

4 of 4

noun (4)

co·​lón kə-ˈlōn How to pronounce colón (audio)
variants or less commonly colone
plural colones kə-ˈlō-ˌnās How to pronounce colón (audio)
1
: the basic monetary unit of El Salvador until 2001
2
: the basic monetary unit of Costa Rica see Money Table

Examples of colon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Obesity, family history, inflammatory bowel disease, and symptoms like abdominal pain or rectal bleeding are factors strongly associated with colon cancer in younger adults. Don Rauf, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Oct. 2024 The physician also noted her maternal family history of colon cancer and reported that the vice president is up to date on preventive care, such as colonoscopies and mammograms. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024 The physician also stated that Harris wears contact lenses for mild nearsightedness and disclosed her family history including maternal colon cancer. Bailey Richards, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024 Case died of bowel, colon, liver and lung cancer in 1976. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for colon 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek kolon

Noun (2)

Latin, part of a poem, from Greek kōlon limb, part of a strophe

Noun (3)

French, from Latin colonus

Noun (4)

Spanish colón, from Cristóbal Colón Christopher Columbus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of colon was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near colon

Cite this Entry

“Colon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colon. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

colon

1 of 2 noun
co·​lon ˈkō-lən How to pronounce colon (audio)
: the part of the large intestine between the cecum and the rectum
colonic
kō-ˈlän-ik
adjective

colon

2 of 2 noun
: a punctuation mark : used chiefly to direct attention to what follows (as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification)
Etymology

Noun

from Latin colon "part of the intestine," from Greek kolon (same meaning)

Noun

from earlier colon "rhythmic unit in verse," from Latin colon "part of a poem," from Greek kōlon "limb, part of a poem"

Medical Definition

colon

noun
co·​lon ˈkō-lən How to pronounce colon (audio)
plural colons or cola -lə How to pronounce colon (audio)
: the part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum

Geographical Definition

Colón

geographical name

Co·​lón kō-ˈlōn How to pronounce Colón (audio)
city and port on the Caribbean Sea at the entrance to the Panama Canal in northern Panama population 224,000

More from Merriam-Webster on colon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!