Collum or Column: Which Spelling Is Correct?

If you are unsure whether to write collum or column, the answer depends on what you mean. For spreadsheets, tables, vertical sections, architectural pillars, and newspaper features, column is the correct standard English word. The spelling can be confusing because the final n is silent in pronunciation. However, collum is not simply a misspelling in every context: it is also a specialized anatomical term derived from Latin and used for the neck or a neck-like part of the body.

Column or Collum: What’s the Difference?

The two words look and sound very similar, but they do not normally serve the same purpose.

Column is a common English noun. It can refer to a vertical arrangement of information, such as a column in an Excel worksheet, or a vertical structural support such as a stone column. It can also mean a recurring article in a newspaper or magazine.

Collum, on the other hand, is a specialized anatomical noun. Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a Latin word meaning “neck,” used in descriptions of the neck and body parts that resemble a neck. Its plural form is colla.

So, if you are writing:

“Put the information in the second ___.”

the answer is column, not collum.

Quick comparison

Feature	Column	Collum
Common English word	Yes	No, specialized
Excel/table term	Yes	No
Meaning related to a pillar	Yes	No
Newspaper feature	Yes	No
Anatomical term	No	Yes
Standard spelling for spreadsheet data	Column	Not collum
Pronunciation	/ˈkɒl.əm/ UK; /ˈkɑː.ləm/ US	Similar pronunciation

Cambridge gives column the UK pronunciation /ˈkɒl.əm/ and the US pronunciation /ˈkɑː.ləm/.

What Does “Column” Mean?

Column is a noun with several established meanings.

One common meaning is a vertical section or arrangement of information. This is the meaning you encounter in spreadsheets, tables, forms, lists, and printed pages.

For example:

• The customer’s phone number is in the third column.
• Add a new column to the table.
• The report contains four columns of figures.

A column can also be a physical structure that supports part of a building:

• The entrance is supported by two large stone columns.
• The ancient temple has rows of marble columns.

Another meaning is a regular article or feature in a newspaper or magazine. Cambridge lists this publishing sense as a piece of writing that appears regularly, usually on a particular subject and often written by the same person.

For example:

• She writes a weekly fashion column.
• I always read his sports column.

The plural of column is columns.

Collum or Column in Excel

If your question comes from Microsoft Excel, the answer is straightforward: column is the correct word.

An Excel worksheet is organized into rows and columns. Columns are identified by letters such as A, B, C, D, while rows are identified by numbers.

For example:

A	B	C
Name	Age	City
Emma	28	London
Daniel	34	Boston

Here, A, B, and C are columns.

Microsoft’s official Excel documentation also uses column throughout its terminology. The Excel COLUMN function returns the column number of a specified cell reference. For example, Microsoft explains that =COLUMN(D10) returns 4 because column D is the fourth column.

Microsoft also lists the COLUMNS function, which returns the number of columns in a reference.

Therefore, these are correct:

• Excel column
• Column A
• Add a new column
• Delete a column
• The first column of the spreadsheet
• Use the COLUMN function

These are not standard Excel terminology:

• Excel collum ❌
• Collum A ❌
• Delete a collum ❌

If you are discussing spreadsheets, always choose column.

What Does “Collum” Mean?

Although collum is not the spelling you should use for an Excel section or a vertical table, it is a real word in specialized English.

Cambridge Dictionary labels collum as an anatomical term and explains that it is a Latin word meaning “neck,” used when describing the neck or parts of the body that are like the neck. Its plural is colla.

The term may appear in scientific or anatomical descriptions.

For example, a specialist might use collum when referring to a neck-like anatomical structure.

This distinction is important because saying that collum is simply “not a word” would be too broad. It exists, but it is not the normal spelling of the common word column.

So:

• Column = common word for a vertical section, pillar, or publication feature.
• Collum = specialized anatomical term.

Why Is “Column” Spelled With an N?

The spelling can seem strange because the n is not pronounced separately.

Cambridge gives the pronunciation as:

• British English: /ˈkɒl.əm/
• American English: /ˈkɑː.ləm/

A simple approximation is:

KOL-um in British English
KAH-lum in American English

You do not normally hear a distinct final n.

That creates an obvious spelling trap. Someone who spells words based closely on pronunciation might be tempted to write collum or colum. But the standard spelling for the common English word is:

C-O-L-U-M-N → column

The silent letter needs to remain in the written form.

Column Spelling: Common Mistakes

Because of its pronunciation, column is sometimes misspelled in several ways.

Common incorrect forms include:

• collum ❌ when intended to mean a spreadsheet or vertical section
• colum ❌
• collumn ❌
• coloumn ❌

The correct form is:

• column ✅
• columns ✅

The important spelling pattern is col + umn:

column

Rather than trying to spell the word exactly as it sounds, remember that the written form contains an n at the end.

Correct and Incorrect Examples

Here are some practical examples.

Example 1: Excel

Correct:
Enter the customer’s name in column A.

Incorrect:
Enter the customer’s name in collum A.

Example 2: A table

Correct:
The final column contains the total price.

Incorrect:
The final collum contains the total price.

Example 3: Architecture

Correct:
The entrance is supported by four columns.

Incorrect:
The entrance is supported by four collums.

Example 4: Journalism

Correct:
She writes a weekly newspaper column.

Incorrect:
She writes a weekly newspaper collum.

Example 5: Anatomy

Correct:
The specialist used the anatomical term collum.

Here, collum is appropriate because the word is being used in its specialized anatomical sense.

How to Choose the Right Word

A simple context check can usually solve the problem.

Ask yourself what you are describing:

A spreadsheet or table?
Use column.

A vertical section of printed text?
Use column.

A pillar or structural support?
Use column.

A newspaper or magazine feature?
Use column.

A specialized anatomical neck or neck-like structure?
Collum may be the appropriate technical term.

This means that the choice is not really between two interchangeable spellings. In most everyday situations, column is the word you need.

An Easy Way to Remember the Spelling

The easiest rule is:

The N is silent, but it is still written.

Think of the word in two parts:

col + umn = column

When you hear something like “KOL-um,” don’t let the pronunciation persuade you to remove the final n.

You can also connect the word with familiar compounds:

• column
• columnar
• columns
• column heading
• column width
• column number

Seeing the spelling in related expressions makes it easier to remember.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Writing “collum” for an Excel column

This is the most important distinction for spreadsheet users. Excel uses column, not collum. Microsoft’s own documentation consistently uses the term column, including in the COLUMN and COLUMNS functions.

2. Dropping the final N

Writing colum because that is how the word sounds is incorrect when you mean the ordinary English word.

Correct: column
Incorrect: colum

3. Adding an extra L

The standard spelling is column, not collumn.

4. Assuming “collum” can never be a word

This is the opposite mistake. Collum is a genuine specialized anatomical term. It simply does not replace column in everyday contexts such as Excel, tables, buildings, or newspapers.

FAQ

Is “collum” or “column” correct?

For an Excel worksheet, table, newspaper feature, or architectural pillar, column is correct. Collum is also a real word, but it has a specialized anatomical meaning relating to the neck or a neck-like body part.

Is “collum” a misspelling of “column”?

It can be a misspelling when someone intends to write column, particularly in a spreadsheet or table context. However, collum is also an established specialized anatomical term, so it is not universally an incorrect word.

How do you spell column correctly?

The standard spelling is C-O-L-U-M-N: column. The final n is silent in normal pronunciation, which is one reason the spelling can be easy to forget.

How is “column” pronounced?

Cambridge gives column as /ˈkɒl.əm/ in British English and /ˈkɑː.ləm/ in American English. In simple terms, it sounds roughly like “KOL-um” or “KAH-lum.”

What is a column in Excel?

A column is a vertical set of cells in an Excel worksheet. Columns are identified by letters, such as A, B, and C. Excel also has a COLUMN function that can return the column number associated with a cell reference.

What is the plural of column?

The plural is columns. For example: “The spreadsheet has six columns.” The specialized anatomical word collum has the plural colla, according to Cambridge Dictionary.

The Bottom Line

For almost every everyday situation involving spreadsheets, tables, written pages, buildings, or newspaper features, the word you want is column. Its silent n can make the spelling tricky, but the correct form remains column. Collum has a separate and much more specialized anatomical use, so the two should not be treated as simple alternative spellings. For clear English usage, Clarifyra recommends remembering the key rule: the N is silent in “column,” but it still belongs in the spelling.