colonisation, colonise
1 of 2
col·o·ni·sa·tion, col·o·nise
British spellings of colonization, colonize
1
: an act or instance of colonizing: such as
a
: the establishing of a colony (see colony sense 1) : subjugation of a people or area especially as an extension of state power
The news arrives at a time of debate over how museums should handle artifacts acquired through colonization and conquest.—
Isis Davis-Marks
Isis Davis-Marks"… in contrast to their earlier colonization of the Caribbean, the Spanish encountered highly urbanized civilizations in Mesoamerica and continually equated them with those of the Islamic and Greco-Roman Mediterranean."—David Carballo
David Carballo
b
: migration to and settlement in an inhabited or uninhabited area
the colonization of space/Mars
c(1)
biology
: the spread and development of an organism in a new area or habitat
The colonization of land by eukaryotes probably was facilitated by a partnership (symbiosis) between a photosynthesizing organism … and a fungus.—Daniel S. Heckman et al.
Daniel S. Heckman et al.
(2)
medical
: the presence and multiplication of a microorganism (such as a bacterium) in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
It is important to reassess wounds frequently to determine if there is colonization of bacteria within the wound.—Emergency Medicine Reports
Emergency Medicine ReportsAdhesion to the intestinal epithelial cells is considered as necessary for probiotic microorganisms to colonize the large intestine, and colonization is important for beneficial health effects such as modulation of the immune system …—O. D. Amund
O. D. Amund… they significantly reduced the rate of bacterial colonization of the devices from 30% to 9% and cut the rate of infection in patients from 4% to 0.—Carol Potera
Carol Potera
d
: the act or practice of appropriating something that one does not own or have a right to
… the pop culture discourse is more open to considering the fraught dynamic of Western colonization of music rooted in Africa than it's ever been.—Matthew Ismael Ruiz
Matthew Ismael RuizIt's a strange objection from someone who rails against the growing blandness of New York—the chain stores and suburban sensibilities, the colonization by the rich, the boring, the feloniously ahistoric.—Ginia Bellafante
Ginia Bellafante2
: the state of being colonized : subjugation by a foreign power
"If I am fighting our struggle on Indigenous territories, then I must also understand and be in solidarity with Indigenous struggles against colonization. To imagine our freedom without first recognizing and fighting for Indigenous sovereignty is impossible."—El Jones
El Jones
col·o·nize
ˈkä-lə-ˌnīz 
variants
also British colonise
colonized; colonizing; colonizes
1
a
transitive + intransitive
: to take control of (a people or area) especially as an extension of state power : to claim (someone or something) as a colony
areas colonized by European powers
It [Aléria, France] was, at different times in history, colonized by the Greeks, Etruscans, Carthaginians, and Romans.—Kristina Killgrove
Kristina KillgrovePacific Islanders—Hawaiians, Samoans, the Chamorro of Guam—were and remain colonized by the United States …—Viet Thanh Nguyen
Viet Thanh NguyenBefore the U.S.'s occupation of the roughly 7,500 islands, Spain colonized the Philippines and Mexico concurrently for around 300 years …—Amanda Albee
Amanda AlbeeAs the indigenous people of North America, Native Americans were colonized on their own land, the places to which they trace their social, cultural, and religious origins.—Kate A. Berry et al.
Kate A. Berry et al.Portuguese officials are keenly aware of their checkered legacy. They were the first Europeans to colonize in Asia …—Mark Landler
Mark Landler
b
transitive
: to migrate to and settle in (an inhabited or uninhabited area) : to establish a colony in
the areas of New England colonized by the Puritans
… the seaside town of Puerto Madryn, named by the Welsh settlers who colonized the few river valleys of Patagonia.—Anita McConnell
Anita McConnell
(1)
biology, of an organism
: to spread to and develop in a new area or habitat
… usually the first plant to colonize newly formed sand spits and newly deposited sands on the barrier islands …—Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Robert H. Mohlenbrock
(2)
medical, of a microorganism
: to multiply in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
C. diff. is a spore-forming, toxin-producing bacterium that can colonize the large intestine and wreak havoc there …—Jane E. Brody
Jane E. Brody… the bacteria that colonize our gut and play a key role in keeping us healthy.—Katie Hunt
Katie HuntMicroorganisms, particularly normal skin flora, colonize and form biofilms quickly on catheter surfaces …—Daryl S. Paulson
Daryl S. Paulson2
transitive
: to take or make use of (something) without authority or right : appropriate
Parked cars have colonized city streets for so long that most people assume cars own the curb lane.—Donald Shoup
Donald Shoup"Before colonizing the artistic and intellectual work of Black people, white people should ask themselves questions such as, how can I contribute to this Black person's wellbeing? Am I studying this work for the explicit purpose of Black liberation, or are my motives fundamentally selfish?"—Amanda Bennett
Amanda BennettExamples of colonisation in a Sentence
Verb
The area was colonized in the 18th century.
Weeds quickly colonized the field.
The island had been colonized by plants and animals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Faran Krentcil,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Only about a third of clinical cases come from blood; the rest are found in urine, wounds and the respiratory tract, where the fungus is often colonizing rather than invading.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
In the 1830s the British colonized this area where the mouth of the Yarra River widens into what would be named Port Phillip Bay.
—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026
If SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to colonize Mars, that tendency to divert extra cash into longshot development programs may never cease.
—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonisation
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Verb
Leather Fringe Long before America was colonized, Indigenous tribes like the Lakota and Shoshone in the Great Plains region sewed deerskin fringe trim on their garments.
—
Faran Krentcil,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Only about a third of clinical cases come from blood; the rest are found in urine, wounds and the respiratory tract, where the fungus is often colonizing rather than invading.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
In the 1830s the British colonized this area where the mouth of the Yarra River widens into what would be named Port Phillip Bay.
—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026
If SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to colonize Mars, that tendency to divert extra cash into longshot development programs may never cease.
—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonisation
Cite this Entry
“Colonisation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonisation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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