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Definition of columbus

columbus

/kəˈlʌm.bəs/
co · lum · bus
Plural:Columbuses
•
Adjective:Columbian
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columbus Lexical Profile

• noun

1

American The capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio, located in the central part of the state.

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."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for columbus

• Rhymes for columbus

• Nearby Words

columbia river
columbian
columbine
columbus
column
columnea
columned

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 Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/columbus
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