cologne
noun
a mildly perfumed toilet water; eau de Cologne.
cologne
1 American
[kuh-lohn]
/ kəˈloʊn /
noun
Cologne
2
American
[kuh-lohn]
/ kəˈloʊn /
noun
cologne
1
British
/ kəˈləʊn /
noun
Cologne
2
British
/ kəˈləʊn /
noun
Cologne
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cologne
Short for Cologne water, made in Cologne since 1709
Explanation
Cologne is a type of perfume, a liquid that smells good and is meant to be dabbed behind your ears. When you get dressed up for a night on the town, you might be sure to put some cologne on your neck. Both men and women wear cologne, which is scented with extracts or oils in a base of alcohol and water. Cologne is considered a kind of toilet water, which is less concentrated than perfume — and can be applied more liberally. If you've ever stood in an elevator with a man wearing an excessive amount of cologne, you know there can be too much of a good thing. The word is from the French eau de Cologne, "water from Cologne (Germany)."
Vocabulary lists containing cologne
American Street
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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.
He sprayed Sharaa with Trump-branded cologne, before presenting him with his own supply to take home for his wife, jokingly asking him how many he has.
From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025
By acquiring Kering’s beauty business, L’Oréal would add cologne maker Creed to its portfolio.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 18, 2025
The thing about guys trying to be like Charlie Sheen is they wear borrowed danger like drugstore cologne.
From Salon • Sep. 12, 2025
“If you have an outfit on, but you don’t have cologne on or you don’t smell good, do you even have the flyest fit on? What’s the point,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2024
Enrique’s father bathes, dresses, splashes on cologne, and follows her.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
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.
