Anatomy
colon Audio
co·lon [ koh-luhn ]
Subclass of:
Large Intestine
Etymology:
Greek kolon = the large bowel; perhaps from Greek koilos = hollow
Its origin is lost in antiquity.
Definitions related to colon structure (body structure):
  • (colon) The portion of the large intestine which extends from the cecum (or small intestine in animals that don't have a cecum) to the rectum.
    CDISC Terminology
    Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), 2021
  • (colon) Part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • (colon) The large intestine; a muscular tube that is 5 to 6 feet long. It compacts and moves solid waste.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • (colon) The longest part of the large intestine, which is a tube-like organ connected to the small intestine at one end and the anus at the other. The colon removes water and some nutrients and electrolytes from partially digested food. The remaining material, solid waste called stool, moves through the colon to the rectum and leaves the body through the anus.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • (colon) The part of the large intestine measured from the cecum to the rectum consisting of ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid portions. The purpose of the colon is to remove water from digested food prior to excretion.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • (colon) The segment of LARGE INTESTINE between the CECUM and the RECTUM. It includes the ASCENDING COLON; the TRANSVERSE COLON; the DESCENDING COLON; and the SIGMOID COLON.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • The colon is a 5-6�ft long, U-shaped part of the large intestine (lower gastrointestinal tract). By definition, the cecum (and appendix) and ano-rectum, which are parts of the large intestine, are not included in the colon.
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • Colon, the longest segment of the large intestine. The term colon is often used to refer to the entire large intestine. The colon extends from the cecum (an enlarged area at the end of the small intestine) up the right side of the abdomen (ascending colon), across to the left side (transverse...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.