column

noun

col·umn | \ ˈkä-ləm also ˈkäl-yəm

Definition of column

1a : 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

3a : 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

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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

In his recent Daily Mail column, royal commentator Richard Eden says that the Queen's decision to bring back Sir Christopher Geidt as her Permanent Lord in Waiting is part of her plan to keep tabs on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "The Queen Reportedly Brought Back This Trusted Aide Just to Keep an Eye on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry," 24 Mar. 2019 That compliment is enough for DiMasi to put her in the undecided column. — Jeffrey Mervis, Science | AAAS, "Physicist hopes the evidence is clear in bid for New York congressional seat," 20 June 2018 Steve Mirsky Steve Mirsky has been writing the Anti Gravity column since a typical tectonic plate was about 36 inches from its current location. — Steve Mirsky, Scientific American, "AI, Robotics and Your Health," 18 June 2018 The State Street column in some editions Monday incorrectly said he was affiliated with the National Action Network. — WSJ, "Corrections & Amplifications," 15 Apr. 2019 Burkle's Long, Tangled Relationship with the Tabloids Burkle has long enjoyed appearing in the New York gossip columns. — Ben Widdicombe, Town & Country, "Why It Makes Perfect Sense That Billionaire Ron Burkle Would Buy The Enquirer," 11 Apr. 2019 Correction: An earlier version of this column misidentified the median household income in King and Snohomish counties. — Gene Balk / Fyi Guy, The Seattle Times, "Seattle household net worth ranks among top in nation — but wealth doesn’t reach everyone," 19 Feb. 2019 At the very bottom of that column is the fingerprint sensor, its position shifted to be to the right of the arrow keys rather than on top of them. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Samsung teases new Notebook 9 Pen with 15-hour battery life before CES 2019," 13 Dec. 2018 There are two other possible contributing factors still under investigation: First, trusses on the fifth and seventh floors were designed to transfer loads from one set of columns to another. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Debunking the 9/11 Myths: Special Report - The World Trade Center," 10 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'column.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 May 2019

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Time Traveler for column

The first known use of column was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for column

column

noun

English Language Learners Definition of column

: a long post made of steel, stone, etc., that is used as a support in a building

: a group of printed or written items (such as numbers or words) shown one under the other down a page

: any one of two or more sections of print that appear next to each other on a page and are separated by a blank space or a line

See the full definition for column in the English Language Learners Dictionary

column

noun

col·umn | \ ˈkä-ləm

Kids Definition of column

1 : one of two or more vertical sections of a printed page Read the article in the left column.

2 : a group of items shown one under the other down a page a column of figures

3 : a regular feature in a newspaper or magazine a sports column

4 : a pillar used to support a building

5 : something that is tall or thin in shape or arrangement a column of smoke

6 : a long straight row a column of soldiers

column

noun

col·umn | \ ˈkäl-əm

Medical Definition of column

: 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