column
B2Neutral to formal (depending on context). Architectural and mathematical contexts are more formal, while newspaper columns are neutral.
Definition
Meaning
A vertical pillar or post used as a structural support in architecture, or a vertical arrangement of items.
A regular section in a newspaper, magazine, or website on a particular subject or by a particular writer; a vertical division of a page or chart; a line of soldiers, vehicles, or ships moving in the same direction.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word often implies structure, order, and verticality. It can refer to both physical objects (pillars) and abstract arrangements (data, text).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is identical. Pronunciation differs slightly. In journalism, the concept is identical. In military contexts, usage is the same.
Connotations
Identical connotations of support, regularity, and vertical division in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent and used in the same range of contexts in both British and American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
in a/the columncolumn of (smoke/soldiers)column about (topic)column for (publication)column on (page)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fifth column (a group within a country that supports its enemies)”
- “spinal column (the spine)”
- “agony column (an advice column in a newspaper, especially about personal problems)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to sections in financial reports or spreadsheet software (e.g., 'Add the figures in column D').
Academic
Used in architecture, history, mathematics (matrices), and data analysis (e.g., 'The data was organised in three columns').
Everyday
Most commonly used for newspaper articles or vertical structures (e.g., 'I read her column every Tuesday').
Technical
In computing, a vertical arrangement in a table, database, or spreadsheet; in printing, a vertical block of text.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The text was columned for easier reading.
- The architect columned the façade with Doric pillars.
American English
- The data should be columned by year.
- They columned the hall to support the new roof.
adverb
British English
- The troops marched columnwise through the pass.
- The data was arranged columnarly.
American English
- The figures were listed columnwise.
- The text flowed columnarly down the page.
adjective
British English
- The columnar structure was impressive.
- He studied the columnar basalt formations.
American English
- The building had a columned portico.
- She preferred a columnar format for the report.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old building has white columns at the front.
- Look at the first column of the chart.
- She writes a weekly column about healthy eating for a magazine.
- The spreadsheet has a column for dates and a column for prices.
- The architect chose Ionic columns for the design to evoke a sense of elegance.
- His controversial column sparked a heated debate on social media.
- The military column advanced along the valley, vulnerable to attack from the ridges above.
- The analysis required pivoting the data table to switch the rows and columns effectively.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a newspaper page divided into vertical sections. Each section is a COLUMN, and the letter 'L' in the word is tall and straight like a column.
Conceptual Metaphor
STRUCTURE IS VERTICALITY; INFORMATION IS A BUILDING (e.g., 'the article was a pillar/column of the argument').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'колонна' (which is correct for a pillar or a line of people) and 'колонка' (which can mean a small column, a gas pump, or a speaker). In IT contexts, 'column' is 'столбец', not 'колонка'.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing the silent 'n' at the end (incorrect: /ˈkɒləmən/).
- Using 'row' when 'column' is meant (a column is vertical, a row is horizontal).
- Misspelling as 'collumn' or 'collon'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'column' NOT be typically used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The 'n' at the end of 'column' is silent.
A row is a horizontal arrangement, while a column is a vertical arrangement.
Yes, but it is rare and technical, meaning to arrange in or form into columns.
It refers to a group of people who undermine a larger group from within, often in aid of an enemy.