English Dictionary

Definition of “colonize

colonize or colonise(ˈkɒləˌnaɪzPronunciation for )

Definitions

verb

  1. to send colonists to or establish a colony in (an area)
  2. to settle in (an area) as colonists
  3. (tr) to transform (a community) into a colony
  4. (of plants and animals) to become established in (a new environment)

Alternative Forms

ˈcoloˌnizable ˈcoloˌnisable adjective ˌcoloniˈzation ˌcoloniˈsation noun ˈcoloˌnizer ˈcoloˌniser noun

Usage examples

  • One huge flaw Ian Macmillan TORONTO ONT - John MacArthur makes an interesting point about the difficulty of trying to colonize Iraq.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • The first British attempt to colonize Ireland was in the twelfth century.
    Salkie, Raphael, The Chomsky Update - Linguistics and Politics (1990)

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