cologne

noun

co·​logne kə-ˈlōn How to pronounce cologne (audio)
1
: a perfumed liquid composed of alcohol and fragrant oils
2
: a cream or paste of cologne sometimes formed into a semisolid stick
cologned
kə-ˈlōnd How to pronounce cologne (audio)
adjective

Examples of cologne in a Sentence

She put on some cologne and combed her hair. a TV commercial for men's cologne TV commercials for men's colognes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scentbird 3-Month Gift Subscription On Sale 7% off Both Jennings and Wakama mentioned fragrance on their wishlist, but cologne and perfume scents are so personal. — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 11 Aug. 2026 During this year’s Streamer University, hosted by Kai Cenat, Drake delivered a prerecorded address to attendees and left care packages in their rooms stocked with cologne, Nocta clothing, Pokémon cards and other gifts. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026 All of which hugs closely to the skin for a cologne that whispers rather than shouts. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 31 July 2026 Johnson Products Company — which would later go on to manufacture Ultra Sheen, Classy Curl, Curly Perm and men’s cologne line Black Tie — was made from humble beginnings, grit and a revolutionary product idea. — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cologne

Word History

Etymology

Cologne, Germany

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cologne was in 1832

Phrases Containing cologne

Rhymes for cologne

See All Rhymes for cologne

Browse Nearby Words

cologarithm
cologne
Cologne
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cologne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cologne. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cologne

noun
co·​logne kə-ˈlōn How to pronounce cologne (audio)
: a liquid similar to perfume but not as strongly scented or as long-lasting
Etymology

named for Cologne, city in Germany where it was first made

Geographical Definition

Cologne

geographical name

Co·​logne kə-ˈlōn How to pronounce Cologne (audio)
variants or German Köln
ˈkœln How to pronounce Cologne (audio)
city on the Rhine River in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany population 1,005,775

More from Merriam-Webster on cologne

Nglish: Translation of cologne for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cologne

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All