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

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. —Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

Authorities said the crash occurred late on Friday, Dec. 6, when a car crashed into a support column for the Pulaski Skyway near the Route 1 and 9 southbound on-ramp in Newark, according to CBS affiliate WCBS-TV and ABC affiliate WABC-TV. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Within a decade, carnivals, fairs and vaudeville productions took over Billboard’s pages; a music column started in 1905, and coverage of sheet music sales joined the chorus in 1913. —Joe Lynch, Billboard, 9 Dec. 2024

In his Sunday column, Jim Cramer wrote about never seeing a stock market that just keeps going up like this in his 42 years of investing and how to approach it. —Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 9 Dec. 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

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