colon

¹

[ koh-luhn ]

noun

, plural co·lons co·la [koh, -l, uh]

1. the sign (:) used to mark a major division in a sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation, implication, etc., of what precedes; or to separate groups of numbers referring to different things, as hours from minutes in 5:30; or the members of a ratio or proportion, as in 1 : 2 = 3 : 6.
2. Classical Prosody. one of the members or sections of a rhythmical period, consisting of a sequence of from two to six feet united under a principal ictus or beat.

colon

²

[ koh-luhn ]

noun

, plural co·lons, co·la [koh, -l, uh].

1. Anatomy. the part of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum.
2. Zoology. the portion of the digestive tract that is posterior to the stomach or gizzard and extends to the rectum.

colon

³

[ koh-lohn; Spanish kaw-lawn ]

noun

, plural co·lons, Spanish co·lo·nes [kaw-, law, -nes].

1. the paper monetary unit of El Salvador, equal to 100 centavos. : C.
2. a cupronickel or steel coin and monetary unit of Costa Rica, equal to 100 centimos.

colon

⁴

[ koh-lon, kuh-lon ]

noun

1. a colonial farmer or plantation owner, especially in Algeria.

Colón

⁵

[ koh-lon; Spanish kaw-lawn ]

noun

1. a seaport in Panama at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal.

colon

¹

/ ˈkəʊlən /

noun

1. -lons the punctuation mark :, usually preceding an explanation or an example of what has gone before, a list, or an extended quotation
2. -lons this mark used for certain other purposes, such as expressions of time, as in 2:45 p.m., or when a ratio is given in figures, as in 5:3
3. -la-lə (in classical prosody) a part of a rhythmic period with two to six feet and one principal accent or ictus

colón

²

/ koˈlon; kəʊˈləʊn /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Costa Rica, divided into 100 céntimos
2. the former standard monetary unit of El Salvador, divided into 100 centavos; replaced by the US dollar in 2001

colon

³

/ kəˈlɒn; kɔlɔ̃ /

noun

1. a colonial farmer or plantation owner, esp in a French colony

colon

⁴

/ ˈkəʊlən /

noun

1. the part of the large intestine between the caecum and the rectum

Colón

⁵

/ kɒˈlɒn; koˈlɔn /

noun

1. a port in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Chief Caribbean port. Pop: 157 000 (2005 est) Former nameAspinwall
2. See Galápagos Islands
   Archipiélago de Colón
   Archipiélago de Colónˌartʃiˈpjelaɣo ðe the official name of the Galápagos Islands

colon

/ kō′lən /

1. The longest part of the large intestine, extending from the cecum to the rectum. Water and electrolytes are absorbed, solidified, and prepared for elimination as feces in the colon. The colon also contains bacteria that help in the body's absorption of nutrients from digested material.

colon

¹

1. The middle and longest part of the large intestine . ( See digestive system .)

colon

²

1. A punctuation mark (:) used to introduce a description, an explanation, or a list. For example, “She would own only one kind of pet: a Siamese cat” and “The little boy announced that he wanted the following for his birthday: two sweaters, a new tent, and three toy cars.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of colon¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin cōlon, from Greek kôlon “limb; part of a clause or period”

Origin of colon²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek kólon “large intestine”

Origin of colon³

First recorded in 1890–95; from Latin American Spanish, after (Cristobal) Colón “(Christopher) Columbus”

Origin of colon⁴

First recorded in 1600–10, in earlier sense “husbandman”; 1955–60 in present sense; from French, from Latin colōnus “colonist, farmer, tenant farmer”

Word History and Origins

Origin of colon¹

C16: from Latin, from Greek kōlon limb, hence part of a strophe, clause of a sentence

Origin of colon²

C19: American Spanish, from Spanish, after Cristóbal Colón Christopher Columbus

Origin of colon³

French: colonist, from Latin colōnus, from colere to till, inhabit

Origin of colon⁴

C16: from Latin: large intestine, from Greek kolon

Example Sentences

Two of Andrea’s other relatives, a retired grocery store owner named Tony Bowdoin and car bumper repairman named Mike Pless, were diagnosed shortly thereafter with colon and throat cancer, respectively.

From ProPublica

Colón’s endearingly goofy parents huddle over a pile of OTC painkiller bottles and cleaning products, taking inventory.

From Time

Despite the importance of estate planning, Boseman never put one in place before succumbing to a four-year battle with colon cancer.

From Essence.com

The pair started dating before Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, and reportedly got engaged last year.

From Essence.com

Ginsburg’s health issues became public in 1999, six years after her appointment to the Supreme Court, when she had surgery for early-stage colon cancer.

From Time

The bacteria in your colon thrive on nondigestible fiber, also known as prebiotics.

From The Daily Beast

In 1993, about a year before Retsky received his colon cancer diagnosis, he attended a breast cancer conference in Europe.

From The Daily Beast

The tumor in his colon had spread to four of his lymph nodes and penetrated the bowel wall.

From The Daily Beast

But in his late 20s, his mother became very sick from colon cancer and said to him, “When am I going to see you on TV?”

From The Daily Beast

In Dec. 1997, a short time after giving birth to Angelica, Taylor-Wood was diagnosed with colon cancer, which she beat.

From The Daily Beast

The great majority belong to the colon bacillus group, and are negative to Gram's method of staining.

From Project Gutenberg

The staphylococcus, bacillus of Friedlnder, colon bacillus, and Bacillus pyocyaneus may be met in chronic middle-ear disease.

From Project Gutenberg

The Cristobal Colon would have a bad time if the two ships came to close quarters.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the Brooklyn tried her eight-inch guns, and sent a shell through the Colon's side, above her belt of steel.

From Project Gutenberg

His ccum has a vermicular appendix, which is not the case in any other ape, nor is the neck of the colon so long as in the latter.

From Project Gutenberg