[co.lon] n, pl colons or co.la [ME, fr. L, fr. Gk kolon] (14c): the part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum -- co.lon.ic adj
[2]colon n, pl colons or co.la [L, part of a poem, fr. Gk kolon limb, part of a strophe] (ca. 1550) 1 pl cola: a rhythmical unit of an utterance; specif, 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. pl colons a: a punctuation mark : used chiefly to direct attention to matter (as a list, explanation, or quotation) 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 usu. read as "to" (as in 4:1 read "four to one"), or in a proportion where it is usu. 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") [3]co.lon n [F, fr. L colonus] (1888): a colonial farmer or plantation owner co.lon also co.lone n, pl co.lo.nes [Sp colon, fr. Cristobal Colon Christopher Columbus] (1916): the basic monetary unit of Costa Rica and El Salvador