Phrase guide

fifth column

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A group of people which clandestinely undermines a larger group, such as a nation, to which it is expected to be loyal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fifth, column.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a subversive group that supports the enemy and engages in espionage or sabotage; an enemy in your midst

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Trojan horse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unit, social unit

History

Etymology

From a 1936 radio address by Spanish Nationalist general Emilio Mola, in which he spoke of four of his army columns moving on Madrid and a fifth column (quinta columna) consisting of his militant supporters within the capital, intent on undermining the Republican government from within.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: kolonë e pestë — group of people
  • Arabic: الطَّابُورُ الخَامِس (aṭ-ṭābūru l-ḵāmis) — group of people
  • Armenian: հինգերորդ շարասյուն (hingerord šarasyun) — group of people
  • Belarusian: пя́тая кало́на (pjátaja kalóna) — group of people
  • Bulgarian: пе́та коло́на (péta kolóna) — group of people
  • Catalan: cinquena columna — group of people
  • Catalan: quinta columna — group of people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 第五縱隊 /第五纵队 (dì wǔ zòngduì) — group of people
  • Czech: pátá kolona — group of people
  • Czech: vnitřní nepřítel — group of people
  • Dutch: vijfde colonne — group of people
  • Finnish: viides kolonna — group of people
  • French: cinquième colonne — group of people
  • Georgian: მეხუთე კოლონა (mexute ḳolona) — group of people
  • German: Fünfte Kolonne — group of people
  • Greek: πέμπτη φάλαγγα (pémpti fálanga) — group of people
  • Japanese: 第五列 (daigoretsu) — group of people
  • Japanese: 第5列 (daigoretsu) — group of people
  • Kazakh: бесінші лек (besınşı lek) — group of people
  • Macedonian: петта колона (petta kolona) — group of people
  • Persian: ستون پنجم (sotun panjom) — group of people
  • Polish: piąta kolumna — group of people
  • Portuguese: quinta coluna — group of people
  • Russian: пя́тая коло́нна (pjátaja kolónna) — group of people
  • Spanish: quinta columna — group of people
  • Swedish: femtekolonn — group of people
  • Tamil: ஐந்தாம்படை (aintāmpaṭai) — group of people
  • Thai: แนวที่ห้า — group of people
  • Thai: ไส้ศึก (sâi-sʉ̀k) — group of people
  • Ukrainian: п'я́та коло́на (pʺjáta kolóna) — group of people