Definition of 'colonize'

Word Frequency

colonize (kɒlənaɪz )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense colonizes , present participle colonizing , past tense , past participle colonized regional note: in BRIT, also use colonise

1. verb

If people colonize a foreign country, they go to live there and take control of it.

The first British attempt to colonize Ireland was in the twelfth century.

Liberia was never colonised by the European powers.

For more than 400 years, we were a colonized people.

Synonyms: settle, populate, put down roots in, people More Synonyms of colonize

colonizerWord forms: plural colonizers countable noun

To the former Belgian colonizers, Rwanda was a paradise.

colonization (kɒlənaɪzeɪʃən ) uncountable noun

...the European colonization of America.

2. verb

When large numbers of animals colonize a place, they go to live there and make it their home.

Toads are colonising the whole place.

3. verb

When an area is colonized by a type of plant, the plant grows there in large amounts.

The area was then colonized by scrub.

Word Frequency

colonize or colonise (ˈkɒləˌnaɪz )

verb

to send colonists to or establish a colony in (an area)

to settle in (an area) as colonists

3. (transitive)

to transform (a community) into a colony

(of plants and animals) to become established in (a new environment)

Derived forms

colonizable (ˈcoloˌnizable) or colonisable (ˈcoloˌnisable)

adjective

colonization (ˌcoloniˈzation) or colonisation (ˌcoloniˈsation)

noun

colonizer (ˈcoloˌnizer) or coloniser (ˈcoloˌniser)

noun

Word Frequency

colonize in American English (ˈkɑləˌnaɪz ; kälˈənīzˌ)

verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcoloˌnized or ˈcoloˌnizing

to found or establish a colony or colonies in

to settle (persons) in a colony

3. US

to place (voters) illegally in (a district) so as to influence an election

verb intransitive

to found or establish a colony or colonies

to settle in a colony

Derived forms

colonization (ˌcoloniˈzation)

noun

colonizer (ˈcoloˌnizer)

noun

Example sentences containing 'colonize'

Then they muted the set and let the light wash over them while they tried to find new territories to colonize on each other.

Laura Lippman IN A STRANGE CITY (2001)

Trends of 'colonize'

Translations for 'colonize'

British English: colonize VERB
If people colonize a foreign country, they go to live there and take control of it.The first British attempt to colonize Ireland was in the twelfth century.

Brazilian Portuguese: colonizar
Chinese: 把…变为殖民地
European Spanish: colonizar
French: coloniser
German: kolonisieren
Italian: colonizzare
Japanese: 植民地にする
Korean: 식민지로 만들다
Portuguese: colonizar
Spanish: colonizar