Main Entry: col·o·nize

Pronunciation: \ˈkäl-ə-ˌnīz\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): col·o·nized; col·o·niz·ing

transitive verb

1 : to establish a colony in or on <the parasitic roundworms…have succeeded in colonizing a great variety of hosts—W. H. Dowdeswell>
2 : to isolate in supervised groups

intransitive verb

of microorganisms : to become established in a habitat (as a host or a wound) <these bacteria in turn colonize in other parts of the body—R. A. Runnells>

—col·o·ni·za·tion \ˌkäl-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən\ noun