colony

[ kol-uh-nee ]
/ ˈkɒl ə ni /

noun, plural col·o·nies.

Origin of colony

1350–1400; Middle English colonie (< Middle French) < Latin colōnia, equivalent to colōn(us) colonus + -ia -y3

OTHER WORDS FROM colony

sem·i·col·o·ny, noun, plural sem·i·col·o·nies. sub·col·o·ny, noun, plural sub·col·o·nies.

Example sentences from the Web for colonies

British Dictionary definitions for colonies (1 of 2)

Colonies
/ (ˈkɒlənɪz) /

pl n the Colonies

British the subject territories formerly in the British Empire
US history the 13 states forming the original United States of America when they declared their independence (1776). These were Connecticut, North and South Carolina, Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and New Jersey

British Dictionary definitions for colonies (2 of 2)

colony
/ (ˈkɒlənɪ) /

noun plural -nies

a body of people who settle in a country distant from their homeland but maintain ties with it
the community formed by such settlers
a subject territory occupied by a settlement from the ruling state
  1. a community of people who form a national, racial, or cultural minorityan artists' colony; the American colony in London
  2. the area itself
zoology
  1. a group of the same type of animal or plant living or growing together, esp in large numbers
  2. an interconnected group of polyps of a colonial organism
bacteriol a group of bacteria, fungi, etc, derived from one or a few spores, esp when grown on a culture medium

Word Origin for colony

C16: from Latin colōnia, from colere to cultivate, inhabit

Medical definitions for colonies

colony
[ kŏlə-nē ]

n.

A discrete group of organisms, such as a group of cells growing on a solid nutrient surface.

Scientific definitions for colonies

colony
[ kŏlə-nē ]

A group of the same kind of animals, plants, or one-celled organisms living or growing together. Organisms live in colonies for their mutual benefit, and especially their protection. Multicellular organisms may have evolved out of colonies of unicellular organisms.