I. ˈkōlən, -ˌlän noun
( plural colons -nz ; or co·la -lə)
Etymology: Latin, large intestine, from Greek kolon; perhaps akin to Lithuanian skil̃vis belly, Armenian k'ałird guts
1. : the part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum and in man is divided into an initial portion which passes up on the right side of the abdomen, a midportion which passes across to the left side, a descending portion which passes downward on the left side, and a terminal tortuous portion continuous with the rectum — called respectively (1) ascending colon, (2) transverse colon, (3) descending colon, (4) sigmoid flexure ; see digestion illustration
2. : the second division of an insect's intestine
II. noun
( plural colons or cola ; see numbered senses )
Etymology: Latin, part of a poem, from Greek kōlon limb, part of a strophe, clause of a sentence — more at calk
1. plural cola
a. : a rhythmical unit of an utterance:
(1) 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) : a division of an utterance by sense or rhythm that is smaller and less independent than the sentence and larger and less dependent than the phrase — compare comma , period
b. : a unit that is used in measuring the length of manuscripts and that is equal to what was regarded as the average length of a colon
2. plural colons
a. : the punctuation mark : used before an explanation, example, definition, restatement, recapitulation, quotation, appositive, or list and especially after or in place of such expressions as namely, as follows or sometimes between the clauses of a compound sentence especially when no conjunction is used and when the clauses balance each other antithetically
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), of a bibliographical reference (as in Nation 130:20), a ratio where it is usually read as “to” (as in 4:1 read “four to one”), or 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”)
III. ˈkōˌlän, kəˈlōn noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin colonus colonist, farmer, inhabitant — more at colony
: a colonial farmer, planter, or plantation owner
IV. kəˈlōn, kōˈl- noun
( plural colo·nes -nās ; also colons -nz)
Etymology: Spanish colón, after Cristóbol Colón Christopher Columbus — more at columbian
1. : the basic monetary unit of Costa Rica and El Salvador — see money table
2. : a coin representing one colon
3. : a Salvadoran note representing one colon