colo-, col-

The part of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum as a long hollow tube that serves to remove water from digested food and let the remaining material, solid waste called stool, move through it to the rectum and leave the body through the anus.

The colon measures about 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length. It goes up (the ascending colon) on the right side of the abdomen, across the abdomen (the transverse colon) beneath the stomach, and then down (the descending colon) on the left side of the abdomen and makes a sharp turn in the left lower portion (the sigmoid colon) to merge with the rectum.

The colon is sometimes inaccurately called the "large intestine" or "large bowel". It is only a part of the large intestine/bowel. The confusion may have arisen because the word colon came from kolon which to the ancient Greeks meant the "large intestine".

Any disordered condition of the colon; colopathy: Doug complained a lot about his abdomen hurting him, and his doctor told him that he had a condition of colonopathy which should be examined immediately and sent him to a specialist.

Term for diarrhea thought to originate from a condition confined to or affecting chiefly the colon.

A long flexible endoscope, often equipped with a device for obtaining tissue samples, which is used for the visual examination of the colon.

The medical examination of the colon by a physician who uses a colonoscope.