plural colons or cola
ˈkō-lə 
plural colons or cola
1
plural cola
: a rhythmical unit of an utterance
specifically, in Greek or Latin verse
: a system or series of from two to not more than six feet having a principal accent and forming part of a line
2
plural colons
a
: a punctuation mark : used chiefly to direct attention to matter (such as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification) that follows
b
: the sign : used between the parts of a numerical expression of time in hours and minutes (as in 1:15) or in hours, minutes, and seconds (as in 8:25:30), in a bibliographical reference (as in Nation 130:20), in a ratio where it is usually read as "to" (as in 4:1 read "four to one"), or in a proportion where it is usually read as "is to" or when doubled as "as" (as in 2:1::8:4 read "two is to one as eight is to four")
variants
or less commonly colone
plural colones
kə-ˈlō-ˌnās
1
: the basic monetary unit of El Salvador until 2001
2
: the basic monetary unit of Costa Rica see Money Table
Examples of colon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 5 Nov. 2024
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer starts in the colon or rectum, which make up the large intestine (or large bowel).
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 3 Nov. 2024
Colorectal cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2024
To be clear, there are a few rare medical instances in which a colon cleanse is necessary, like before a colonoscopy.
—Tayler Adigun, Essence, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colon 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Colorectal cancer develops in the tissues of the colon or rectum and is the third most common cancer in the United States (excluding skin cancers).
—Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 5 Nov. 2024
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer starts in the colon or rectum, which make up the large intestine (or large bowel).
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 3 Nov. 2024
Colorectal cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2024
To be clear, there are a few rare medical instances in which a colon cleanse is necessary, like before a colonoscopy.
—Tayler Adigun, Essence, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for colon
Dictionary Entries Near colon
Cite this Entry
“Colon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colon. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colon
1 of 2 noun
co·lon
ˈkō-lən
: the part of the large intestine between the cecum and the rectum
colonic
adjective
kō-ˈlän-ik
colon
2 of 2 noun
: a punctuation mark : used chiefly to direct attention to what follows (as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification)
Etymology
Noun
from Latin colon "part of the intestine," from Greek kolon (same meaning)
Noun
from earlier colon "rhythmic unit in verse," from Latin colon "part of a poem," from Greek kōlon "limb, part of a poem"
Medical Definition
Geographical Definition
Colón
geographical name
Co·lón
kō-ˈlōn
city and port on the Caribbean Sea at the entrance to the Panama Canal in northern Panama population 224,000
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share