colonist

noun

col·​o·​nist ˈkä-lə-nist How to pronounce colonist (audio)
plural colonists
see usage paragraph below
: a member or inhabitant of a colony (see colony sense 1)
the Jamestown/Plymouth colonists
especially : a person who migrates to and settles in a foreign area as part of a colony
Honeybees aren't native to North America; early colonists brought them over from Europe to provide honey and beeswax. Paige Embry
Usage of Colonist and Colonizer

Colonist and colonizer both have meanings closely tied to the word colonialism in its use referring to domination of a foreign people or area. Colonist, which comes directly from the noun colony, is the more common—and usually more neutral—term. Colonizer, which comes from the verb colonize, is used especially in contexts in which the exploitative nature of colonialism is being discussed or evoked; in phrases like "colonizer mindset/mentality" it implies a benefit from or even active participation in that exploitation.

Examples of colonist in a Sentence

British colonists settled the area in the 18th century. over time the colonists began to sense that they were becoming a people unto themselves
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But first consider the majority of the text of the Declaration: a stirring enumeration of specific grievances by the American colonists against the British crown. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 The courage that the colonists had, hungry for freedom, to start a new life here. Nicole Russell, USA Today, 4 July 2025 Today, that country—and the 194 others around the globe—face an existential peril the American colonists could not have foreseen. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 3 July 2025 And centuries earlier, the colonists’ British forebears had brought an earlier monarch to heel, forcing King John to sign the Magna Carta and thereby setting a precedent of powerful limits on royal power. Tom Shattuck, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for colonist

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of colonist was in 1701

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonist. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

colonist

noun
col·​o·​nist ˈkäl-ə-nəst How to pronounce colonist (audio)
1
: a person who lives in a colony
2
: a person who takes part in founding a colony

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