ETYM Originally made in Cologne, the French name of Köln, a city in Germany.
A perfumed liquid made of essential oils and alcohol; SYN. cologne water, eau de cologne.

1. A commercial center in western Germany on the Rhine River; Also called: Koln.
2. City in Minnesota (USA); zip code 55322.
(German Köln) Industrial and commercial port in North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany, on the left bank of the Rhine, 35 km/22 mi SE of Düsseldorf; To the N is the Ruhr coalfield, on which many of Cologne's industries are based. They include motor vehicles, railroad wagons, chemicals, and machine tools. Cologne is an important transshipment center.
Founded by the Romans 38 BC and made a colony AD 50 under the name Colonia Claudia Arae Agrippinensis, it became a leading Frankish city and during the Middle Ages was ruled by its archbishops. It was a free imperial city from 1288 until the Napoleonic age. In 1815 it passed to Prussia. The great Gothic cathedral was begun in the 13th century, but its towers were not built until the 19th century (completed 1880). Its university (1388–1797) was refounded 1919. Cologne suffered severely from aerial bombardment during World War II, notably the British “thousand bomber raid” 30 May 1942; 85% of the city and its three Rhine bridges were destroyed.