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 of colonist

• 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

Historically, it was meant to remedy something that was true in England, where the colonists came from, which was that the king or those empowered by the king could invade people’s homes at will. —John E. Jones, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026

If these nanotubes are already there, future lunar colonists might not need to bring expensive sensors or battery components from Earth. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026

Those colonists declared that the land was now theirs. —Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026

The Articles of Association of 1774 was signed by all 53 delegates urging colonists to boycott British goods, marking the Continental Congress's first protest against Britain. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026

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