Column

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒləm/

Definitions

1. A vertical structural element that supports weight in a building, or a regular section of text in a newspaper or magazine
2. A tall, cylindrical support structure in architecture serves a dual purpose as an essential load-bearing element and as a recurrent segment in printed publications
3. This architectural feature acts both as a vital vertical support in various structures and as a consistent block of content found in periodicals

Etymology: The Latin "columna" started life as a close cousin of "columen," a word for the top or summit of something. Its root sense points upward: related Latin words include "collis" (a hill) and "celsus" (high), and it is probably linked to the Greek "kolophon," meaning peak or summit. So a column was, at its core, a thing defined by height rather than by its job of holding weight. The word arrived in English through Middle English, borrowed from Old French "columne" and ultimately from Latin. It did not have to fight its way in against a rival, but it did displace the native Old English words "sweor" and "stapol," both meaning pillar or post. Those older words have since disappeared from everyday use, so "column" now stands alone for the upright support.

Synonyms: pillar, post, support

Antonyms: void, gap, space