colonialism

[ kuh-loh-nee-uh-liz-uh m ]
/ kəˈloʊ ni əˌlɪz əm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR colonialism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates such control or influence.
the state or condition of being colonial.
an idea, custom, or practice peculiar to a colony.

Origin of colonialism

First recorded in 1850–55; colonial + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM colonialism

co·lo·ni·al·ist, noun, adjective co·lo·ni·al·is·tic, adjective

Words nearby colonialism

colonial animal, colonial experience, colonial goose, colonial heights, colonial siding, colonialism, coloniality, colonialization, colonialize, colonic, colonies

Words related to colonialism

expansionism, imperialism, neocolonialism

Example sentences from the Web for colonialism

British Dictionary definitions for colonialism

colonialism
/ (kəˈləʊnɪəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

the policy and practice of a power in extending control over weaker peoples or areas Also called: imperialism

Derived forms of colonialism

colonialist, noun, adjective

Cultural definitions for colonialism

colonialism

The control of one nation by “transplanted” people of another nation — often a geographically distant nation that has a different culture and dominant racial or ethnic group. (See ethnicity.)

notes for colonialism

A classic example of colonialism is the control of India by Britain from the eighteenth century to 1947.

notes for colonialism

Control that is economic and cultural, rather than political, is often called neocolonialism.