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.
The colonists settled mainly in the Colorado and Brazos river basins. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 For millennia, Indigenous peoples in North America, and later European colonists, derived part of their year-round sustenance from juneberry. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 June 2025 The first European colonists, too, marveled at the bounty. Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025 That budgetary change also aligns with the priorities of Elon Musk, who founded his SpaceX rocket company two decades ago with dreams of one day sending colonists to Mars. Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 2 May 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 25 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

More from Merriam-Webster on colonist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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