kolona

Kolona is a term used in several languages and contexts, most often meaning a vertical structural element or a grouping. In many Slavic languages such as Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian and Polish, kolona denotes a column or pillar and is used in architecture, construction, and design.

The word also refers to a line of march: a procession or convoy of people or vehicles moving in a single file or in columns. This sense appears in everyday and technical usage, particularly in military, logistical, or civil contexts.

Etymology: Kolona derives ultimately from Latin columna and entered Slavic languages through historical contact, yielding cognates across several languages. The sense shift from a vertical support to a line or group reflects a metaphorical extension common to the term’s usage.

Usage and toponymy: In modern speech kolona appears in technical terms (architecture, surveying, traffic reporting) and in idiomatic expressions. It is also found as a place name or surname in some regions, though such uses vary by language and country.

Related terms include column, pillar, convoy, and procession.