an upright post or pillar usually having a cylindrical shaft, a base, and a capital a form or structure in the shape of a column: a column of air a monument a row, line, or file, as of people in a queue a narrow formation in which individuals or units follow one behind the other any of two or more vertical sections of type on a printed page, esp on a newspaper page a regular article or feature in a paper: the fashion column a vertical array of numbers or mathematical terms
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
col•umn /ˈkɑləm/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Architecturea tall, straight, slender upright support; a pillar used for support or standing alone as a monument:The old post office building had several marble columns in front.
- any object, mass, or formation shaped like this: a column of smoke.
- a vertical row or list: Add this column of figures.
- a vertical arrangement of print on a page of a book, etc.:There are two columns on this page.
- Journalisman article that is a regular feature of a newspaper or magazine:a column on political affairs.
- Militarya long, narrow file of troops, ships, marchers, etc.:columns of tanks.
col•umn
(kol′əm),USA pronunciation n.
col′umned
(kol′əmd),USA pronunciation col•um•nat•ed
(kol′əm nā′tid),USA pronunciation adj.
- Architecture
- a rigid, relatively slender, upright support, composed of relatively few pieces.
- a decorative pillar, most often composed of stone and typically having a cylindrical or polygonal shaft with a capital and usually a base.
- any columnlike object, mass, or formation:a column of smoke.
- a vertical row or list:Add this column of figures.
- a vertical arrangement on a page of horizontal lines of type, usually typographically justified:There are three columns on this page.
- Journalisma regular feature or series of articles in a newspaper, magazine, or the like, usually having a readily identifiable heading and the byline of the writer or editor, that reports or comments upon a particular field of interest, as politics, theater, or etiquette, or which may contain letters from readers, answers to readers' queries, etc.
- Militarya long, narrow formation of troops in which there are more members in line in the direction of movement than at right angles to the direction (distinguished from line).
- Militarya formation of ships in single file.
- Botanya columnlike structure in an orchid flower, composed of the united stamens and style.
- Latin, as above
- Anglo-French
- Latin columna, equivalent. to colum(e)n peak + -a feminine ending; akin to excel; replacing late Middle English colompne
- 1400–50; late Middle English columne
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Column, pillar refer to upright supports in architectural structures. Pillar is the general word:the pillars supporting the roof.A column is a particular kind of pillar, esp. one with an identifiable shaft, base, and capital:columns of the Corinthian order.
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