What does "colon" mean?
The punctuation mark ⟨:⟩.
Colon
/ˈkoʊ.lən/ name, noun
name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The punctuation mark ⟨:⟩.
- Grammar: colon is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abdomen, accent, accentuation, afghani.
- Useful contrasts: no punctuation, periods.
- Usage evidence: Bogdan Tanjević will resign because of colon cancer.
How to use "colon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "colon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "colon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "colon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "colon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "colon" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abdomen" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "colon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The punctuation mark ⟨:⟩.
"A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause."
- 2 Part of the large intestine; the final segment of the digestive system, after (distal to) the ileum and before (proximal to) the rectum. (Because the colon is the largest part of the large intestine (constituting most of it), it is often treated as synonymous therewith in broad or casual usage.)
"Colorectal cancer refers to colon cancer, which starts in the colon, and rectal cancer, which starts in the rectum."
- 3 A husbandman. obsolete
- 4 the part of the large intestine between the cecum and the rectum; it extracts moisture from food residues before they are excreted wordnet
- 5 The triangular colon (especially in context of not being able to type the actual triangular colon). rare
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A European colonial settler, especially in a French colony.
"The reaction of the European colons, a mixture of shock and fear, was to demand further draconian measures and to suspend any suggestion of new reforms."
- 7 a punctuation mark (‘:’) used after a word introducing a series or an example or an explanation (or after the salutation of a business letter) wordnet
- 8 A rhetorical figure consisting of a clause which is grammatically, but not logically, complete. rhetoric
- 9 the basic unit of money in Costa Rica; equal to 100 centimos wordnet
- 10 A clause or group of clauses written as a line, or taken as a standard of measure in ancient manuscripts or texts.
- 11 the basic unit of money in El Salvador; equal to 100 centavos wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
no punctuationperiods
Example
"Bogdan Tanjević will resign because of colon cancer."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "colon"?
Common synonyms include: abdomen, accent, accentuation, afghani, alexandrine, amphibrach.
How do you use "colon" in a sentence?
Bogdan Tanjević will resign because of colon cancer.
How do you pronounce "colon"?
Pronounced /ˈkoʊ.lən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Latin cōlon (“a member of a verse of poem”), from Ancient Greek κῶλον (kôlon, “a member, limb, clause, part of a verse”).
Etymology 2
From Latin cŏlon (“large intestine”), from Ancient Greek κόλον (kólon, “the large intestine, also food, meat, fodder”).
Etymology 3
From French colon.
Etymology 4
Spanish surname, variant of Colón. Also Castilianized form of Colom.