colonize

verb

col·​o·​nize ˈkä-lə-ˌnīz How to pronounce colonize (audio)
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
Pacific Islanders—Hawaiians, Samoans, the Chamorro of Guam—were and remain colonized by the United States …Viet Thanh Nguyen
Before the U.S.'s occupation of the roughly 7,500 islands, Spain colonized the Philippines and Mexico concurrently for around 300 years …Amanda Albee
As 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.
Portuguese officials are keenly aware of their checkered legacy. They were the first Europeans to colonize in Asia …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
c transitive + intransitive
(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
(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
… the bacteria that colonize our gut and play a key role in keeping us healthy.Katie Hunt
Microorganisms, particularly normal skin flora, colonize and form biofilms quickly on catheter surfaces …Daryl S. Paulson
2
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
"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

Examples of colonize in a Sentence

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 Palestine is colonized with no army, no navy and no air force; Israel is the occupier and a world leader in unconstrained, mechanized death and destruction. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 They were colonized and forced off their land by the Japanese, made to give up their lifestyle as hunter-gatherers and forbidden from speaking their language and practicing their religion. Helen Schulman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Share [Findings] Climate change was expected to drive American lobsters to seek deeper waters, beavers to colonize new parts of Canada, and wolf spiders in the high Arctic to produce a second annual brood. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 The Mexican cartels are colonizing different countries, carrying out their business model and replicating more or less the same thing that exists in Mexico, said Saucedo, the Mexican security analyst. Karol Suárez, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Portugal colonized Brazil, and from the 16th century to the late 1800s, Brazil trafficked more Africans than any other country in the world. Emiene Wright, Charlotte Observer, 4 Jan. 2024 Since then, Israelis, with the backing of another imperial power, the U.S., have sought to colonize, eliminate, and deny statehood to the Palestinians. TIME, 1 Feb. 2024 Other species are also known to colonize catheters and cause infection, however. Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 12 Jan. 2024 Namibia was colonized by Germany and later administered by a white-minority government controlled by South Africa. Leo Sands, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'colonize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of colonize was in 1622

Dictionary Entries Near colonize

Cite this Entry

“Colonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

colonize

verb
col·​o·​nize ˈkäl-ə-ˌnīz How to pronounce colonize (audio)
colonized; colonizing
1
: to establish a colony in or on
England colonized Australia
2
: to establish in a colony
the rights of colonized people
3
: to settle in a colony
colonization
ˌkäl-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən
noun
colonizer
ˈkäl-ə-ˌnī-zər
noun

Medical Definition

colonize

verb
col·​o·​nize ˈkäl-ə-ˌnīz How to pronounce colonize (audio)
colonized; colonizing; colonizes

transitive + intransitive

of a microorganism : to multiply in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
At least half of all Americans over age 30 have gingivitis, a mild inflammation caused by bacterial plaque. Untreated, it may turn into periodontitis, in which bacteria colonize pockets that form between the gums and teeth.Julia Karow, Scientific American
The microbe in question is Candida albicans, a yeast that often harmlessly colonizes patients …Joan Stephenson, The Journal of the American Medical Association
These preparations presumably contain "probiotics," usually meaning strains of Lactobacillus to colonize your intestine and promote bacterial growth.UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
Microorganisms, particularly normal skin flora, colonize and form biofilms quickly on catheter surfaces …Daryl S. Paulson, AORN Journal
colonization noun
asymptomatic wound colonization by staphylococcus
… 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, Science
colonizer noun
Identification of the typical flora in the postoperative ethmoid sinus cavity, as well as a determination of the type of bacteria expected to be colonizers rather than pathogens, would also assist the physician in selecting an appropriate antibiotic. Neil Bhattacharyya and Harsha V. Gopal, Ear, Nose and Throat Journal

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