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

• settler
• pioneer
• colonial

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 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

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for colonist

• stalinist

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