Illustration of column
- column 2
1
a
: a vertical arrangement of items printed or written on a page
columns of numbers
b
: one of two or more vertical sections of a printed page separated by a rule or blank space
The news article takes up three columns.
c
: an accumulation arranged vertically : stack
columns of paint cans
d
: one in a usually regular series of newspaper or magazine articles
the gossip column
advice columns
2
: a supporting pillar
especially
: one consisting of a usually round shaft, a capital, and a base
a colonnade of marble columns
3
a
: something resembling a column in form, position, or function
a column of water
columns of smoke
b
: a tube or cylinder in which a chromatographic separation takes place
4
: a long row (as of soldiers)
columns of troops
5
: one of the vertical lines of elements of a determinant or matrix
6
: a statistical category or grouping
put another game in the win column
Examples of column in a Sentence
a facade with marble columns
Add the first column of numbers.
The article takes up three columns.
The error appears at the bottom of the second column.
She writes a weekly column for the paper.
Recent Examples on the Web
There is no column for style points in the NFL, which is fortunate, because the San Francisco 49ers wouldn’t have earned any in their Monday night victory over the Carolina Panthers.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Krista, congratulations on an insightful column.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2025
Fortunately, Anderson was willing to share some of her beautiful images for this column.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Nov. 2025
Wait for details in a future column.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for column
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Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Krista, congratulations on an insightful column.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2025
Fortunately, Anderson was willing to share some of her beautiful images for this column.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Nov. 2025
Wait for details in a future column.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for column
Cite this Entry
“Column.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/column. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
column
noun
col·umn
ˈkäl-əm 
1
a
: a printed or written vertical arrangement of items
add together the column of numbers
b
: one of two or more vertical sections of a printed page separated by a rule or blank space
c
: a special regular feature in a newspaper or magazine
a sports column
2
: a supporting pillar
especially
: one consisting of a usually round shaft, a capital, and a base
3
: something resembling a column in form, position, or function
a column of water
4
: a long row (as of soldiers)
columned
adjective
Etymology
Middle English columne "column," from early French colompne (same meaning), from Latin columna "column" — related to colonel
Medical Definition
column
noun
col·umn
ˈkäl-əm
: a longitudinal subdivision of the spinal cord that resembles a column or pillar: as
a
: any of the principal longitudinal subdivisions of gray matter or white matter in each lateral half of the spinal cord see dorsal horn, gray column, lateral column sense 1, ventral horn compare funiculus sense a
b
: any of a number of smaller bundles of spinal nerve fibers : fasciculus
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