col
noun
a pass or depression in a mountain range or ridge.
col
1 American
[kol, kawl]
/ kɒl, kɔl /
noun
cols
plural
-
Physical Geography. a pass or depression in a mountain range or ridge.
-
Meteorology. the region of relatively low pressure between two anticyclones.
COL
2
American
col-
3
American
col-
4
American
col.
5
American
abbreviation
col.
6
American
abbreviation
-
collected.
-
collector.
-
college.
-
collegiate.
-
colonial.
-
colony.
-
color.
-
colored.
-
column.
Col.
7
American
abbreviation
-
Colombia.
-
Colonel.
-
Colorado.
-
Bible. Colossians.
Col.
1
British
abbreviation
-
Colombia(n)
-
Colonel
-
Bible Colossians
col
2
British
/ kɒl, kɔl /
noun
-
the lowest point of a ridge connecting two mountain peaks, often constituting a pass
-
meteorol a pressure region between two anticyclones and two depressions, associated with variable weather
col-
3
British
prefix
col-
4
British
prefix
col.
5
British
abbreviation
Usage
What does col- mean? Col- is a combining form used like a prefix representing the word colon, the part of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum. It is often used in medical terms. Col- comes from the Greek kólon, meaning “large intestine.” The Greek kólon is also the source of such words as colic and colicky, a word which many parents may know all too well. Col-, when it refers to the colon, is a variant of colo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use colo- article.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of col1
1850–55; < French < Latin collum neck
Origin of col.5
From the Latin word colā
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On Friday, that low pressure is expected to clear away and leave the UK in a col, or neutral weather zone, with neither high or low pressure in charge.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
I had this magical moment on top of this col.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2021
It took them a week to extract two cores in a col — or saddle between two peaks — at about 6,000 metres above sea level.
From Nature ● Sep. 3, 2019
He’s put in his 10,000 hours when it comes to eating focaccia col formaggio di Recco, and still savors every bite of the stuff and speaks about the dish with an almost religious devotion.
From New York Times ● Aug. 13, 2019
Quite early in the exploration of Mount Everest it was obvious that if the 23,000-foot col could be reached, most of the physical difficulties of the approach to the mountain would have been surmounted.
From Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921 by Howard-Bury, Charles Kenneth
ReelShort is owned by Crazy Maple Studio, a company in Northern California that is backed by the Beijing-based digital publisher COL Group.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
The funds are paid directly into the same accounts used to receive benefits payments, with the reference of the recipients' national insurance number followed by "DWP COL".
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2022
You’re sharing that, even with the advance of your inheritance, you still might not be able to find a home you can afford because of the high COL area and your income.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2022
Greg Holland, COL - Holland had two straight seasons of terrific strikeout-to-walk ratios in 2013-14 before regressing in 2015, which also led into offseason Tommy John surgery.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 25, 2017
Peace, gaping fellow! know'st thou where thou art? 1ST COL.
From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8 by Hazlitt, William Carew
Making humorous messages pop up on col- leagues' screens or taking remote control of a keyboard were more mischief than malice.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2020
Other great pictures in the Clarke col- lection: Mrs. Richard Yates. by Gilbert Stuart, as a hawk-nosed old lady in white lace cap and satin gown stitching away at her fancy work.
From Time Magazine Archive
Population of the Netherlands and its col- onies and possessions: 56,399,932.
From Time Magazine Archive
Unkind are pictures of bewhiskered, bejuleped col- onels.
From Time Magazine Archive
All denied it, so the cops searched them all and found ninety dollars of Richie’s col- lege-bank-loan money in his pocket.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
July 30, 1925 Sirs: Issue of July 27, Page 15, 2d col.:
From Time Magazine Archive
Also in his article in Vol. ix., p. 8., col. 2., for "Rev. —— Hook," read "Rev. —— Stock."
From Notes and Queries A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc by Various
Vol. viii., p. 596., col. 2., for "The lodge, an old wooden house," read "stone house."
From Notes and Queries A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc by Various
Oppos., col. 504.680.Bell. ubi supra.681.Cartwright on 1 Cor. xi., sect.
From The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) by Gillespie, George
No. 72., p. 213., col. 2., l. 17., for "authority" read "authorship."
From Notes and Queries, Number 73, March 22, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George
“He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect. Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship. We love you Col. Rest in Peace.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2024
“The most popular soap opera on television this week starred Lt. Col. Oliver North in the continuing saga of the Iran-Contra hearings,” United Press International reported.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 9, 2022
“At the Chaplains Corps, the slogan is ‘perform or provide,’ “said Fort Huachuca Garrison Chaplain Lt. Col. Shay Worthy. “The services that we can perform, we perform.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 30, 2022
"Col. West is experiencing a low grade fever and light body aches. Out of concern for public health, Col. West is suspending in-person events until receiving an all-clear indication."
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2021
“Aw, c'mon, Col. You screwed this one up, bro, not him.”
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
The penultimate parcours took us up the cols du Telegraph and Galibier, where the midday sun and too much caution with a fully-loaded bike combined to melt my disc brake pads until just metal remained.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 18, 2019
The innovation of this year’s Tour: a summit finish on one of the most legendary cols in the race, with the Col de Vars beforehand.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 29, 2017
Our pilot deftly navigated the helicopter up and over cols, passing close enough to some peaks that glacier-formed striations in the cliff bands and the snow’s weather-sculpted textures were clearly discernible.
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2014
Golden letters, very handsome, 11 lines, 2 cols.
From A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, Vol. I. by Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose
The more adventurous waded across the cols or causeways to rocks at some distance from the shore and found rich stores of golden weed.
From Where Deep Seas Moan by Robin, E. Gallienne
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
