Meaning & use
Colonise
Last updated
To establish control over a foreign territory by settling it with people from the colonizing country (British spelling of 'colonize').
See it in a sentence
European powers began to colonise large parts of Africa in the nineteenth century.
Scientists studied how quickly the bacteria could colonise the new petri dish.
A note on using this word
'Colonise' is the standard British and Commonwealth spelling, while American English uses 'colonize.'
Words with a similar meaning
settleoccupy
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. verb
(Of a species) to establish itself in a new area or habitat.
Invasive weeds quickly colonised the disturbed soil.
Make it your own
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