colony
1 Americannoun
plural
colonies-
a country or territory claimed and forcibly taken control of by a foreign power which sends its own people to settle there.
Many African nations are former European colonies.
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a group of people who leave their native country to form a settlement in a territory that their own government has claimed and forcibly taken control of.
The Spanish colony in Mexico was numerous, powerful, and rich.
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any people or territory separated from but subject to a ruling power.
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the Colonies, the British territories that formed the original 13 states of the United States: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
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a number of people coming from the same country or speaking the same language, residing in a foreign country or city or in a particular section of it; enclave.
There is a sizable Polish colony in Israel.
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any group of individuals having similar interests, occupations, etc., usually living in a particular locality; community.
After college she joined a colony of artists in Florence.
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the district, quarter, or dwellings inhabited by such a group.
The Greek island is now an artists' colony.
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Microbiology. a collection or mass of bacteria growing together as the descendants of a single cell.
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Ecology. a group of organisms of the same kind living or growing in close association.
noun
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The, a city in NE Texas.
noun
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a body of people who settle in a country distant from their homeland but maintain ties with it
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the community formed by such settlers
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a subject territory occupied by a settlement from the ruling state
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a community of people who form a national, racial, or cultural minority
an artists' colony
the American colony in London
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the area itself
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zoology
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a group of the same type of animal or plant living or growing together, esp in large numbers
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an interconnected group of polyps of a colonial organism
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bacteriol a group of bacteria, fungi, etc, derived from one or a few spores, esp when grown on a culture medium
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A group of the same kind of animals, plants, or one-celled organisms living or growing together. Organisms live in colonies for their mutual benefit, and especially their protection. Multicellular organisms may have evolved out of colonies of unicellular organisms.
Other Word Forms
- semicolony noun
- subcolony noun
Etymology
Origin of colony
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English colonie, from Middle French or directly from Latin colōnia, from colōn(us) colonus + -ia -y 3
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Unsustainable harvesting - particularly the removal of queen ants - can lead to colony collapse, disrupting ecosystems and threatening biodiversity," he told the BBC.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
This system allows the colony to efficiently find and exploit food.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814 and were administered from Mauritius while it was a British colony.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
Nigeria is a former British colony and London is home to a huge Nigerian diaspora.
From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026
When I first heard about the Roanoke colony disappearing, I wondered how it could have happened so quickly.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
