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Definition of columbus
columbus
/kəˈlʌm.bəs/
co · lum · bus
Plural:Columbuses
•Adjective:Columbian
columbus Lexical Profile
CEFR
A2
Grade
3
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
American The capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio, located in the central part of the state.
Example
"She moved to Columbus to pursue her degree at Ohio State University."
2
An Italian explorer and navigator (Christopher Columbus) who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, initiating the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
Example
"The voyages of Columbus in the late 15th century dramatically altered the course of world history."
• Rhymes for columbus
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'Columbus', meaning 'dove'. Most geographic locations bearing this name, including the capital of Ohio, are named in honor of the 15th-century Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Columbus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/columbus