# Columbus

/kəˈɫəmbəs/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/columbus
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. historical figure

noun · CEFR B1

Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who sailed to the Americas in 1492.

For teachers: Christopher Columbus (c. 1451–1506), the navigator whose voyages for Spain initiated the permanent European colonisation of the Americas.

- In school, children learn about how Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Historical perspectives on Columbus have shifted significantly, moving from simple celebration of discovery to a critical examination of colonial impact.

### 2. US city

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

the capital city of the state of Ohio in the United States.

For teachers: The state capital of Ohio, United States; also the name of several other smaller municipalities across North America.

- She moved to Columbus to start her new job at the university.
- Columbus is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest, serving as a major hub for education and insurance industries.

### 3. to appropriate a discovery

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Informal

to claim you 'discovered' something that other people already knew about or lived in.

For teachers: To appropriate or lay claim to a discovery, particularly one that was already known or inhabited by others. Often used to critique colonial narratives.

- People joked that he tried to columbus the new café even though it had been open for years.
- Social media users often use the term to describe influencers who 'columbus' traditional recipes without acknowledging their cultural origins.

Teaching tip: This is a modern, politically charged slang term; it is used to mock people who act like they found something new when they actually just noticed it for the first time.

## Examples

- He thinks he is a Columbus because he found a 'new' coffee shop.
- The locals laughed at the influencer acting like a Columbus for 'discovering' a beach they had visited for decades.
- Social media often rewards the Columbus who rebrands traditional street food as a new health craze, effectively erasing the cultural history of the original creators.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.