cone

noun \ ˈkōn \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Definition of cone

1 a : a solid generated by rotating a right triangle about one of its legs — called also right circular cone

b : a solid bounded by a circular or other closed plane base and the surface formed by line segments joining every point of the boundary of the base to a common vertex — see Volume Formulas Table

c : a surface traced by a moving straight line passing through a fixed vertex

2 a : a mass of ovule-bearing or pollen-bearing scales or bracts in most conifers or in cycads that are arranged usually on a somewhat elongated axis

b : any of several flower or fruit clusters suggesting a cone

3 : something that resembles a cone in shape: such as

a : any of the conical photosensitive receptor cells of the vertebrate retina that function in color vision — compare rod 3

b : any of a family (Conidae) of tropical marine gastropod mollusks that inject their prey with a potent toxin

c : the apex of a volcano

d : a crisp usually cone-shaped wafer for holding ice cream

See cone defined for English-language learners

See cone defined for kids

Examples of cone in a Sentence

He scooped out the popcorn with a paper cone.

Recent Examples of cone from the Web

While rods detect light, cones are the part of the eye that perceive color.

— Southern Living, "10 Things You Should Know About Your Dog," 3 July 2018
The cone is also computer generated, so forecasters can't modify it in any way.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "Hurricane forecasts for your block. There's a website for that now," 22 June 2018
Extras, like waffle cones or bowls, are $1 to $2 and toppings, like sauces, candies, sprinkles, baked goods, fruit and cereal, are 50 to 65 cents.

— leeanne griffin, courant.com, "Capital Ice Cream Opens On Capitol Avenue In Hartford," 7 June 2018
Here's the current forecast cone for the storm: The main difference between a subtropical storm and tropical storm is core temperature, according to Shawn O'Neil, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Slidell.

— carlie kollath wells, NOLA.com, "Subtropical Storm Alberto forms in Caribbean, hurricane forecasters say," 25 May 2018
This glacial cone of satin has long been one of the most revered designs in fashion history, a mysterious evocation of untouchedness.

— laura jacobs, WSJ, "‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ Review: A Gift From the Sartorial Gods," 10 May 2018
A month later, orange cones were out on a section of Broadway, where only buses could travel between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. The benefits were immediate: a 30 percent reduction in travel time.

— shirley leung, BostonGlobe.com, "5 things we can do to fix Seaport District traffic," 9 May 2018
But a sample isn't going to give the full experience of this thing; the cone was tasty, but the ice cream is supposed to be stuck inside it, not the other way around.

— robert philpot, star-telegram, "We tried Globe Life Park's new over-the-top food items. Here's how they tasted | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 26 Mar. 2018
Carvel: On July 15, Carvel is offering customers a buy one get one free deal on soft serve in a cone or cup of any size.

— olivia harrison, refinery29.com, "Here's Where To Get Free Ice Cream This Month," 9 July 2018

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

Illustration of cone

Origin and Etymology of cone

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin conus, from Greek kōnos

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1545

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

cone

verb

Definition of cone

coned; coning

transitive verb

1 : to make cone-shaped

2 : to bevel like the slanting surface of a cone

cone a tire

See cone defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of cone from the Web

For years, the bridge district had allowed the annual marathon to cone off two of the northbound lanes to accommodate the popular run.

— matier & ross, SFChronicle.com, "This month’s SF Marathon runs into obstacle at Golden Gate Bridge," 1 July 2018

First Known Use of cone

1845

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

CONE Defined for English Language Learners

cone

noun

Definition of cone for English Language Learners

: a shape that has a pointed top and sides that form a circle at the bottom
: a hard and dry part that is the fruit of a pine tree or other evergreen plant and contains many seeds
: something that looks like a cone