co·lo·nial
kə-ˈlō-nē-əl 
-nyəl
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony
colonial trade
colonial life
a colonial capital
The Haitian Revolution, led by self-liberated enslaved people against the French colonial government, was an early precursor to the abolition movements of the United States.—
Chadd Scott
: having the status of a colony
Chadd Scottcolonial territories
b
: possessing or composed of colonies
Britain's colonial empire
… when the United States became a colonial power, assuming control of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Hawaii …—Peter S. Canellos
Peter S. Canellos2
or less commonly Colonial
: of or relating to a period when an area is being colonized and especially to the period of European colonization in U.S. history between the early 17th century and the late 18th century
in colonial times
: such as
a
: made or prevailing during a colonial period
a town known for its Dutch/French/Spanish colonial architecture
colonial furniture
b
: adapted from or reminiscent of a mode of design from a colonial period
new homes built in the colonial style
3
: forming, existing in, or used by a colony
Though it may look like a tropical plant or colorful rock, coral is a colonial carnivore …—Mark Derr
Mark Derr
plural colonials
1
: a member or inhabitant of a colony
British colonials in India
a rebellion of the colonials
2
a
: a product (such as a coin or stamp) made for use in a colony
b
or Colonial
: a product exhibiting colonial style
especially
: a house built in the neoclassical style of the American colonial period
LaMontagne said the homes will be two-story Colonials with attached garages and about three to four bedrooms. —Mark Hayward
Mark Hayward Synonyms
Examples of colonial in a Sentence
Adjective
The country was a colonial power.
a colonial nation and its colonial empire
The book describes life in Colonial America.
an example of colonial architecture
The port had been very important in colonial times.
Noun
They bought a Colonial on a quiet street.
increasing tension between colonials and the mother country
Recent Examples on the WebKira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2024
For example, Dinah was assigned a colonial house that felt more prim and proper, a little bit more from the upper East Coast.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024
The British government had imprisoned him for over a decade for his opposition to colonial rule.
—Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 12 Apr. 2024
The point is made obvious: fashion brands like Brandy Melville have built themselves on colonial fantasies at both an image and industrial level, but there are too-long segments rehashing fast fashion’s environmental damage that, though important, could make up a separate film.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Her quest turns into an investigation into British colonial atrocities and a grassroots movement to reclaim ancestral land.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
This is a realization of a colonial project that started in ’48.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
During a total solar eclipse in Veracruz, Mexico, a team of biologists studied the behavior of colonial orb-weaving spiders.
—Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Director Robert Eggers' feature debut plays on the specter of witchcraft for a slow-burn psychological thriller that makes colonial fears relevant to modern viewers.
—Megan McCluskey, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Detroit Free Press, 5 Apr. 2024
Xinhua News Agency / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
Regina Ip, a senior Hong Kong official, said the legislation was mostly about updating and modernizing existing laws, many of which are left over from British colonial times.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 23 Mar. 2024
McLaren loves the 1928 Spanish colonial, known for its fantastic golf courses and prime beach location just 30 minutes from downtown Jacksonville.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Graydon Herriott Roca Sundy A stylish and romantic old Portuguese-style colonial plantation complex that has recently been redesigned as a hotel, with 16 bedrooms across two mansion houses.
—Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Unearthed on the site of a 17th-century colonial fort, the artifact sheds new light on settlers’ penchant for battlewear and ability to acclimate to life on the Mid-Atlantic coast.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
So the stage is set for an epic drama set in feudal Japan with the first colonials arriving from far-off Europe.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Unique features: The new owners of this Williamsburg colonial in the Annapolis suburb of St. Margaret’s can enjoy spectacular sunsets over the water from their swimming pool, covered outdoor porch or from their chairs alongside Mill Creek.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024
The 2020 national-security law, combined with British colonial regulations that the city has resuscitated to criminalize political speech, have obliterated civic space.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Newburyport, Massachusetts With a rich nautical history dating back to the 17th century, Newburyport is the ultimate coastal town with classic colonial architecture and quaint mom-and-pop shops.
—Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2024
For example, Dinah was assigned a colonial house that felt more prim and proper, a little bit more from the upper East Coast.
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024
The British government had imprisoned him for over a decade for his opposition to colonial rule.
—Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 12 Apr. 2024
The point is made obvious: fashion brands like Brandy Melville have built themselves on colonial fantasies at both an image and industrial level, but there are too-long segments rehashing fast fashion’s environmental damage that, though important, could make up a separate film.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Her quest turns into an investigation into British colonial atrocities and a grassroots movement to reclaim ancestral land.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
This is a realization of a colonial project that started in ’48.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
During a total solar eclipse in Veracruz, Mexico, a team of biologists studied the behavior of colonial orb-weaving spiders.
—Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Director Robert Eggers' feature debut plays on the specter of witchcraft for a slow-burn psychological thriller that makes colonial fears relevant to modern viewers.
—Megan McCluskey, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom Dutch colonial home was built in 1910, according to Zillow.com.
—Detroit Free Press, 5 Apr. 2024
Xinhua News Agency / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
Regina Ip, a senior Hong Kong official, said the legislation was mostly about updating and modernizing existing laws, many of which are left over from British colonial times.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 23 Mar. 2024
McLaren loves the 1928 Spanish colonial, known for its fantastic golf courses and prime beach location just 30 minutes from downtown Jacksonville.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Graydon Herriott Roca Sundy A stylish and romantic old Portuguese-style colonial plantation complex that has recently been redesigned as a hotel, with 16 bedrooms across two mansion houses.
—Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Unearthed on the site of a 17th-century colonial fort, the artifact sheds new light on settlers’ penchant for battlewear and ability to acclimate to life on the Mid-Atlantic coast.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
So the stage is set for an epic drama set in feudal Japan with the first colonials arriving from far-off Europe.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Unique features: The new owners of this Williamsburg colonial in the Annapolis suburb of St. Margaret’s can enjoy spectacular sunsets over the water from their swimming pool, covered outdoor porch or from their chairs alongside Mill Creek.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024
The 2020 national-security law, combined with British colonial regulations that the city has resuscitated to criminalize political speech, have obliterated civic space.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'colonial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near colonial
Cite this Entry
“Colonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonial. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colonial
1 of 2 adjective
co·lo·nial
kə-ˈlō-nē-əl
-nyəl
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony
2
often capitalized
: of or relating to the original 13 colonies forming the U.S.
3
: forming or existing in a colony
colonial organisms
4
: possessing or composed of colonies
a colonial empire
colonial
2 of 2 nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share