colonist

noun

col·​o·​nist ˈkä-lə-nist 

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.

Synonyms

• colonial
• colonizer
• frontiersman
• homesteader
• pioneer
• settler

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

The group’s name is derived from a belief that only 3% of American colonists fought against the British during the American Revolution, an idea historians say is false. —Alissa Gary, Orlando Sentinel, 16 July 2024

America had had allies before going back to the Revolutionary War, when the French came to the aid of the rebellious colonists (and to thwart their British rivals). —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 July 2024

The following year, colonists commemorated newfound independence with festivities including 13-gun salutes, bonfires and fireworks. —Luke Fountain, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2024

And colonists, presumably, introduced the mite Sarcoptes scabiei to the landscape. —Amber Dance, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

colonist

noun

col·​o·​nist ˈkäl-ə-nəst 

1

: a person who lives in a colony

2

: a person who takes part in founding a colony