cone

noun

\ ˈkōn

Definition of cone

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : 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 sense 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

cone

verb

coned; coning

Definition of cone (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to make cone-shaped

2 : to bevel like the slanting surface of a cone cone a tire

Examples of cone in a Sentence

Noun

He scooped out the popcorn with a paper cone.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Customers line up for milkshakes, cones and sundaes. — Deborah Hornblow, courant.com, "The Big Chill: Here’s the scoop on some of the coolest ice cream," 3 July 2019 This metal piece is also striking when used seasonally; for example, in fall in a container with gourds, squash and fall foliage, or in winter with greens/stems/cones and holiday ribbons. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Colorful, whimsical or classic, yard art can enhance your garden’s overall appeal," 3 July 2019 Tokyo Disneyland on a hot day was a long slog through mobs of squealing children clutching melting ice cream cones while executing repetitive choreography in bulky costumes. — Veronica Chambers, New York Times, "Viewfinders: 10 Y.A. Novelists Spin Fiction From Vintage Photos," 28 June 2019 With an offer on the DQ mobile app and any purchase Friday, get a free small regular or dipped cone. — Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY, "First day of summer, National Smoothie Day: Free food and discounts at Dairy Queen, Jamba," 20 June 2019 Its tree is an evergreen and, like some of its species such as bristle cone pines, is extraordinarily long-lived. — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, "Marinating olives, Sicilian style and simply," 12 June 2019 The people at the Pacific Gas and Electric booth were passing out miniature foam rubber safety cones. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "San Francisco hands out fake earthquakes to prepare for the real thing," 11 June 2019 Truth be told, the ice cream cone is the best part of the mash-up. — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, "Cane doubles the pleasures with chef-driven Caribbean cooking," 19 June 2019 As the summer begins, the orange cones seem to multiply. — Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Avoid summer traffic headaches and watch out for these seven major construction projects in the Milwaukee area," 18 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

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

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.