Columbus, Christopher

Cultural

An Italian explorer responsible for the European discovery of America in 1492. He had sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain, under the patronage of the king and queen, Ferdinand and Isabella, hoping to find a westward route to India. His ships were the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus made four voyages to the New World, visiting the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad, Venezuela, and the coast of Central America.

Example Sentences

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Christopher Columbus was trying to find a westward route from Europe to Asia when he discovered the New World.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Celebrated annually on the second Monday of October, Columbus Day is a federal holiday that honors the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

In 1492, when Christopher Columbus “discovered America,” civilizations had been thriving on this land for millennia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2025

European imperial actors from Christopher Columbus on claimed the right to freedom of movement on this planet.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2025

I feel like Christopher Columbus bumping into America.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023