colon
colon Lexical Profile
colon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A punctuation mark (:) used to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an expansion or explanation.
"Use a colon to introduce the list of required textbooks at the end of the syllabus."
The main part of the large intestine, which passes from the cecum to the rectum and absorbs water and electrolytes from food that has remained undigested.
"A diet rich in dietary fiber helps maintain a healthy colon and supports regular digestion."
The basic monetary unit of Costa Rica (and formerly of El Salvador), equal to 100 centimos (or centavos).
"Before traveling to San José, she exchanged her dollars for Costa Rican colons at the airport."
Word Nuance & Usage
The punctuation mark is often confused with the semicolon (;); a colon introduces an explanation, quotation, or list, whereas a semicolon links two closely related independent clauses.
• Rhymes for colon
Word Origin & Etymology
The punctuation sense comes via Latin from Ancient Greek kolon ('limb, member, or clause of a sentence'), while the anatomical sense derives from a distinct Ancient Greek word, kolon, meaning 'large intestine'. The Central American currency unit is named in honor of Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish).