column
gb/kˈɑləm/ us/kˈɑləm/
A2
English
~ 2100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Vertical section of text or data
A straight up-and-down part of text or numbers on a page.
Usage pattern:
[something] in the first/last column
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'column' with 'row', which runs horizontally.
Synonyms
section (A general term for part of something; not necessarily vertical.)
Antonyms
row (The horizontal counterpart to a column in tables or text.)
Collocations
newspaper column
|table column
|spreadsheet column
|add a column
Themes
publishing
|communication
|data
|technology
|education
Examples
- The prices are listed in the second column.
- She writes a weekly opinion column for the local paper.
- Add a column to the spreadsheet for the new data.
- Each column in the table contains different information.
Learner examples
- The names are in the first column.
- This newspaper has three columns on each page.
- Please add a column for phone numbers.
- The answers are in the last column.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Tall upright support post
A tall post that holds up part of a building or is used to make it look nice.
Usage pattern:
a column of [material]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'column' with 'pillar', but 'pillar' can also refer to figurative supports.
Synonyms
pillar (A more general term for a vertical support, often interchangeable.)
Antonyms
beam (A horizontal supporting structure rather than vertical.)
Collocations
stone column
|marble column
|supporting column
Themes
architecture
|construction
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The entrance was framed by marble columns.
- Ancient Greek temples often feature rows of columns.
- The roof is held up by four strong columns.
Learner examples
- The old building has big stone columns.
- We saw tall white columns at the museum.
- Four columns hold the roof.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Recurring newspaper or magazine article
An article that appears often in a newspaper or magazine, written by one person about one topic.
Usage pattern:
write a column about [topic]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'article'; a column is usually regular and by the same author.
Synonyms
feature (A regular or special article, but can be longer and less frequent.)
Collocations
advice column
|opinion column
|sports column
Themes
media
|journalism
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- He writes a technology column for the Sunday paper.
- Her cooking column is very popular with readers.
- I read his travel column every week.
Learner examples
- She writes a column about health.
- I like to read the sports column.
- He has a food column in the magazine.
Noun
B2
entity
4
Line of people or vehicles moving forward
A line of people or cars moving one after another.
Usage pattern:
a column of [things/people]
Synonyms
line (More general; not necessarily organized or narrow like a formal 'column'.)
Collocations
military column
|marching column
|vehicle column
Themes
military
|transport
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A column of soldiers marched down the street.
- Refugees formed a long column along the road.
- We waited as a column of trucks passed by.
Learner examples
- We saw a column of soldiers.
- A long column of cars moved slowly.
- The army marched in a column.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
5
Vertical cylinder in engineering/science use
A tall tube used in science or industry for special processes like separating liquids.
Collocations
distillation column
|chromatography column
Themes
science
|engineering
|technology
Examples
- The refinery uses a distillation column to separate crude oil components.
- Samples were processed through the chromatography column.
- The reactor feeds into the separation column.
Learner examples
- The lab uses a glass column to clean the liquid.
- Oil is separated in a tall distillation column.
- The scientist used a small chromatography column.
Grammar
Dictionary form
column
IPA
GB/kˈɑləm/
US/kˈɑləm/
Syllables & stress
column (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (column)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: column
- Plural: columns
Word family
Forms
columns
noun
Core family
columnist
noun B2
Advanced or less common
columnar
adjective
colonnade
noun
Expressions
column inch
1/kˈɑləm ˈɪnt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
technical
Measurement unit for printed space in newspapers/magazines
An amount of space in print that is one inch deep and as wide as one column.
Examples
- The ad took up ten column inches on the front page.
- Reporters are often limited by the number of column inches available.
fifth column
1/fˈɪfθ kˈɑləm/
fixed phrase
Secret group inside working against own side
People inside a group or country who work secretly to help its enemies.
Examples
- The government feared there was a fifth column aiding the invaders.
- During the war, rumors spread about a fifth column within the city.