Meaning & use
cone
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Meanings
nouncountablemathematics
A solid shape with a flat circular base that curves smoothly inward to a single pointed top.
Grammar: Takes a plural: cones. Used in geometry and to describe shapes in nature.
Patterns
- the volume of a cone
- a cone with a circular base
- shape of a cone
A cone looks like an ice cream cone stretched upward to a point.
Students calculated the volume of a cone in the maths exam.
nouncountable
An object shaped like a cone, such as one used to direct traffic or to hold ice cream.
Grammar: Takes a plural: cones. A very common everyday sense.
Patterns
- a traffic cone
- an ice cream cone
- set out cones
Workmen placed traffic cones along the closed lane.
She bought an ice cream cone for each of the children.
nouncountablebiology
The hard, scaly fruit of a pine or similar tree, which holds its seeds.
Grammar: Takes a plural: cones. Often called a pine cone in everyday English.
Patterns
- a pine cone
- pick up cones
- fallen cones
Squirrels buried seeds from the fallen cones.
The children collected pine cones on the forest walk.
Word forms
| plural | cones |
|---|
Common combinations
- traffic cone
- A row of orange traffic cones guided cars around the hole.
- ice cream cone
- He licked the last of the ice cream cone before it melted.
- pine cone
- A pine cone decorated with gold paint hung on the door.
- cone-shaped
- The roof was cone-shaped, like a witch's hat.
Word family
Commonly confused: cone or corn?
cone vs corn
Corn is a cereal plant or its kernels; cone is the pointed shape or the seed container of pine trees.
Practice
To slow the traffic, workers placed orange ______ across one lane of the road.
Choose one answer.
Traffic cones are the cone-shaped objects used on roads. Conifers are trees and condolences are expressions of sympathy, so they cannot fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.