col-

¹

1. variant of com- before l: collateral.

col.

²

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) strain.

col-

³

1. variant of colo- before a vowel.

   colectomy.

col.

⁴

abbreviation

1. collected.

2. collector.

3. college.

4. collegiate.

5. colonial.

6. colony.

7. color.

8. colored.

9. column.

col

⁵

[kol, kawl]

noun

plural

cols 

1. Physical Geography.,  a pass or depression in a mountain range or ridge.

2. Meteorology.,  the region of relatively low pressure between two anticyclones.

COL

⁶

1. cost of living.

Col.

⁷

abbreviation

1. Colombia.

2. Colonel.

3. Colorado.

4. Bible.,  Colossians.

Col.

¹

abbreviation

1. Colombia(n)

2. Colonel

3. Bible Colossians

col

²

/ kɒl, kɔl /

noun

1. the lowest point of a ridge connecting two mountain peaks, often constituting a pass

2. meteorol a pressure region between two anticyclones and two depressions, associated with variable weather

col-

³

prefix

1. a variant of com-

   collateral

col-

⁴

prefix

1. a variant of colo-

   colectomy

col.

⁵

abbreviation

1. column

Word History and Origins

Origin of col-¹

From the Latin word colā

Origin of col-²

1850–55; < French < Latin collum neck

Word History and Origins

Origin of col-¹

C19: from French: neck, col, from Latin collum neck

Example Sentences

Madagascar's constitutional court has named Col Randrianirina as the country's new leader, even though a statement from the president's office said he was still in charge and denounced what it described as an "attempted coup d'etat".

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Col Randrianirina told the BBC that Madagascar was "a country where chaos reigns right now".

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Lt Col Matt Woodward, commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, said what happened in April last year was unusual, because "the horses got lost".

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Before proceedings began one test case, retired Lt Col Andrew Davies, settled his claim for £182,250.

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Lt Col Davies, 58, said his pay out "does finally acknowledge what I lost and provides some justice".

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When To Use

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.