colonization

/kɑlənaɪˈzeɪʃɪn/

/kɒlənaɪˈzeɪʃən/

Other forms: colonizations

Colonization is the act of setting up a colony away from one's place of origin. Remember when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock? That was the beginning of a period of colonization.

You may have heard of an ant colony, which is a community of ants that decided to set up shop in a particular place; this is an example of ant colonization. With humans, colonization is sometimes seen as a negative act because it tends to involve an invading culture establishing political control over an indigenous population (the people living there before the arrival of the settlers).

Definitions of colonization

1. noun

   the act of colonizing; the establishment of colonies
   “the British colonization of America”

   synonyms: colonisation, settlement

   types:

   population

   the act of populating (causing to live in a place)

   type of:

   constitution, establishment, formation, organisation, organization

   the act of forming or establishing something