Kolonnen

Kolonnen is the plural form of Kolonne in German, used to designate multiple columns or lines. Kolonne itself means a column in the sense of a vertical architectural element, or, more commonly in historical and military contexts, a line or procession of people, vehicles, or units moving together. Kolonnen appears in written German when describing more than one such column or line, for example in historical narratives, military accounts, or architectural descriptions.

Etymology and usage context: Kolonne derives from Latin columna via Old French colonne, with the standard German development yielding Kolonne. The plural suffix -en produces Kolonnen in common usage. The term is primarily found in formal or historical texts rather than ordinary everyday speech.

In military history and logistics, Kolonnen describes marching or supply columns formed by soldiers or vehicles traveling in a defined line or sequence. In architecture and archaeology, Kolonne can refer to multiple columns forming a colonnade or arcade; Kolonnen would then indicate several such columns as a structural feature.

Notes: The word is not typically capitalized as a proper noun unless at the start of a sentence. In modern German, more everyday terms for a literal column include Säule or Pfeiler for a single structural support, while Kolonne remains common in the sense of a procession or line of march.

See also: Column, Colonnade, Military column, Convoy.