kolonne

Kolonne is a noun in several Germanic languages, notably Danish and Norwegian, meaning a vertical arrangement of items or a pillar. The word derives from Latin columna, passed into Old French colonne, and later borrowed into Nordic and Dutch languages. In English usage, the corresponding term is column, while kolonne remains the form in these Nordic and Dutch contexts.

In architecture and construction, kolonne denotes a column or pillar that supports a structure, bears loads, or serves a decorative purpose. In data presentation and computing, it refers to a column: a vertical collection of elements in a table, spreadsheet, or matrix. In mathematics, the term participates in compound forms such as kolonnevektor, referring to a column vector.

In military, transportation, and logistics contexts, kolonne describes a convoy or a marching column—vehicles or troops moving together in a line or procession. The concept emphasizes formation, coordination, and spacing within a larger group, whether in combat, travel, or crowd movement.

Plural and related forms vary by language; for example, kolonner is used for the plural in Danish and Norwegian. The term’s usage spans everyday objects (a column in a table) to more formal or technical senses (architectural columns, mathematical vectors, or organized formations), reflecting its common core idea of a vertical or linear unit within a larger whole.