: a solid generated by rotating a right triangle about one of its legs
called alsoright 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 rodsense 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
Noun
He scooped out the popcorn with a paper cone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
These include expanding its offering of Spanish-language text products, issuing an experimental version of the forecast cone graphic around August 15, and issuing regular and intermediate public advisories as needed instead of having to wait every six hours.—Hunter Geisel, CBS News, 23 May 2024 After a hike in Moran State Park, stop at Sugar Shack for tasty waffle cones from Lopez Island Creamery—the fruit flavors, like wild blackberry, are especially memorable.—Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2024
Verb
The most popular include miso caramel, a chocolate hard shell, gluten-free brownie bites and waffle cones that taste like churros, made with cinnamon and sunflower butter.—Christina Morales, New York Times, 10 July 2023 Ice cream cones or cups run between $2 and $3.75 at Dairy Kastle, while waffle cones run $2.75 to $3.50.—The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for cone
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "cone in geometry," borrowed from Latin cōnus, borrowed from Greek kônos "pine cone, cone in geometry," probably of pre-Greek substratal origin
: a mass of overlapping woody scales that especially in the pines and other conifers are arranged on a structure like a stem and produce seeds between them
also: any of several flower or fruit clusters resembling such cones
2
a
: a solid figure formed by rotating a right triangle about one of its legs
called alsoright circular cone
b
: a solid figure that slopes evenly to a point from a usually circular base
3
: something shaped like a cone: as
a
: any of the cells of the retina that are sensitive to light and function in color vision
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