column

noun

col·​umn ˈkä-ləm 

 also  ˈkäl-yəm

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

columned

ˈkä-ləmd 

ˈkäl-yəmd

adjective

Illustration of column

• column 2

Synonyms

• cue
• file
• line
• queue
• range
• string
• train

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

What causes tornadoes Tornadoes are the most violent storms caused by a violently rotating, funnel column of air touching the ground. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 Apr. 2024

The outlet updated the column to remove the offensive language, and the writer apologized. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024

Video of the scene showed blazes and a huge column of smoke emerging from the building’s bottom floor, leaving charred what could be seen of its facade. —Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

Tempesta writes a column about the town for a New York newspaper. —Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024

This is the April edition of Arts Notes, the Miami Herald’s monthly column for art events, shows and celebrations. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

Zwick’s memoir is filled with enough bold-faced names for a dozen old-fashioned gossip columns: Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meg Ryan ... and on and on. —Rick Kogan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2024

The Monitor is a weekly column devoted to everything happening in the WIRED world of culture, from movies to memes, TV to Twitter. —Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024

In the wake of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which plunged into the Patapsco River in Maryland after the cargo ship Dali slammed into one of its support columns, CBS News has learned a majority of bridges in the U.S. lack any form of impact protection. —Laura Geller, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English columne, from Anglo-French columpne, from Latin columna, from columen top; akin to Latin collis hill — more at hill

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing column

• fifth column
• water column
• spinal column
• advice column
• agony column
• lally column
• steering column
• vertebral column
• the personal column

Kids 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