Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents

charter colony

noun, often capitalized first C
Save Word

Definition of charter colony

: one of the three British colonies in America (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) governed by royal charter without direct interference from the crown — compare proprietary colony, royal colony

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Learn More about charter colony

Statistics for charter colony

Cite this Entry

“Charter colony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charter%20colony. Accessed 9 Aug. 2020.

Comments on charter colony

What made you want to look up charter colony? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

ferret

Listen to the pronunciation of ferret

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

  • rembrandt painting a young scholar and his tutor
  • Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games