column

1. (architecture) A solid upright structure designed usually to support a larger structure above it, such as a roof or horizontal beam, but sometimes for decoration.Synonyms: post, pillar, sile

2. (by extension) A recurring feature in a periodical, especially an opinion piece, especially by a single author or small rotating group of authors, or on a single theme.Examples: "His initial foray into print media was as the author of a weekly column in his elementary-school newspaper."; "I have always argued that despite my opposition to rail privatisation, I should be grateful that John Major won the 1992 election on a platform to sell off the railways, as otherwise my column would have disappeared given the paucity of things to write about."broadly

3. (botany) The gynostemium

4. (chemistry) An instrument used to separate the different components of a liquid or to purify chemical compounds.