cone
KOHN
Cone (noun) means a solid shape with a circular base that narrows smoothly to a single point. Example: “The ice cream sat on top of a crisp waffle cone.”
noun
1
A solid shape with a circular base that narrows smoothly to a single point.
"The ice cream sat on top of a crisp waffle cone."
"She drew a cone on the whiteboard to explain the volume formula."
"The party hat was shaped like a cone and covered in glitter."
2
A bright orange plastic marker, shaped like a cone, used to mark off areas on roads.
"Workers set out traffic cones around the pothole."
"The lane was closed off with a row of cones."
"Drivers had to slow down and steer around the cone in the road."
3
The woody, scaly fruit produced by pine and other conifer trees.
"Pine cones littered the forest floor."
"She collected fir cones for a Christmas decoration."
"The squirrel carried a cone up the tree and began to nibble."
4
One of the light-sensitive cells in the retina responsible for detecting color.
"Cones in the eye let us see color, while rods handle low light."
"People who have faulty cones in their eyes may struggle to tell red from green."
"The retina contains millions of rods and a smaller number of cones."
How to use cone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA shape that starts wide at one end and comes to a point — like an ice cream cone, a traffic cone, or a pine cone.
Common pairings
traffic cone
ice cream cone
pine cone
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Word forms
- Plural
- cones
- Third person singular
- cones
- Past tense
- coned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The ice cream sat on top of a crisp waffle _____.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek kônos ("cone, spinning top, pine cone"), via Latin cōnus and Old French cone.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for cone
See all rhymes for cone →Frequently asked questions
What does “cone” mean?
The word “cone” means a solid shape with a circular base that narrows smoothly to a single point. In plain terms, a shape that starts wide at one end and comes to a point — like an ice cream cone, a traffic cone, or a pine cone.
How do you pronounce “cone”?
“Cone” is pronounced KOHN (/ˈkoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “cone” in a sentence?
Here is “cone” used in a sentence: “The ice cream sat on top of a crisp waffle cone.”
What is another word for “cone”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cone” include conical surface.
What part of speech is “cone”?
“Cone” is a noun.
Where does the word “cone” come from?
The word “cone” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek kônos ("cone, spinning top, pine cone"), via Latin cōnus and Old French cone.
Is “cone” a common word?
“Cone” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “cone” have?
“Cone” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a solid shape with a circular base that narrows smoothly to a single point.
What is the difference between a cone and a traffic cone?
Cone in its basic geometric sense refers to a solid shape with a circular base that narrows to a point, while a traffic cone is a specific bright orange plastic marker shaped like a cone, used to mark off areas on roads.
What is a cone in the eye?
A cone is also the name for one of the light-sensitive cells in the retina responsible for detecting color, distinct from rod cells, which handle vision in low light.
What is the difference between a pine cone and a geometric cone?
A pine cone is the woody, scaly fruit produced by pine and other conifer trees, named for its resemblance to the pointed, tapering geometric shape of a cone, though the two are otherwise unrelated.
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