Cologne
Cologne (noun) means a light, fragrant liquid, weaker than perfume, used to give a pleasant scent to the skin. Example: “He splashed on some cologne before heading out for the evening.”
How to use Cologne
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA mild fragranced liquid, often marketed toward men, worn to smell nice.
In everyday use, "cologne" is often associated with men's fragrance while "perfume" is associated with women's, though the terms mainly differ by concentration of oils.
Word forms
cologned past tense, colognes plural, colognes singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He splashed on some _____ before heading out for the evening.
Etymology
Named after the German city of Cologne, where this style of citrus-based fragrance was first developed in the early 1700s.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “Cologne” mean?
The word “Cologne” means a light, fragrant liquid, weaker than perfume, used to give a pleasant scent to the skin. In plain terms, a mild fragranced liquid, often marketed toward men, worn to smell nice.
How do you pronounce “Cologne”?
“Cologne” is pronounced kuh-LOHN (/kəˈloʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “Cologne” in a sentence?
Here is “Cologne” used in a sentence: “He splashed on some cologne before heading out for the evening.”
What is another word for “Cologne”?
Words with a similar meaning to “Cologne” include eau de Cologne.
What part of speech is “Cologne”?
“Cologne” is a noun.
Where does the word “Cologne” come from?
The word “Cologne” dates back to around 1700 and comes from German. Named after the German city of Cologne, where this style of citrus-based fragrance was first developed in the early 1700s.
Is “Cologne” a common word?
“Cologne” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between cologne and perfume?
Cologne is a light, fragrant liquid that is weaker than perfume, meaning it has a lower concentration of fragrance oils and a more subtle, shorter-lasting scent. Perfume contains a higher concentration of scent oils, making it stronger and longer-lasting on the skin.
Why is 'cologne' sometimes capitalized?
'Cologne' is capitalized because it derives from the German city of Cologne, where the fragrance eau de Cologne was originally created. The lowercase 'cologne' is now commonly used generically for any light fragrant liquid of this type.
Is cologne only worn by men?
Traditionally cologne has been marketed toward men while perfume is marketed toward women, but this reflects marketing convention rather than any strict rule, since cologne is simply a lighter, weaker fragrance than perfume by concentration.
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