settlement

American  

[set-l-muhnt] / ˈsɛt l mənt /

noun

settlements plural

1. the act or state of settling or the state of being settled.

2. the act of making stable or putting on a permanent basis.

3. a state of stability or permanence.

4. an arrangement or adjustment, as of business affairs or a disagreement.

5. an agreement signed after labor negotiations between union and management.

6. the terms reached in this agreement.

7. the settling of persons in a new country or place.

8. a colony, especially in its early stages.

9. a small community, village, or group of houses in a thinly populated area.

10. a community formed and populated by members of a particular religious or ideological group.

    a Shaker settlement.

11. the satisfying of a claim or demand; a coming to terms.

12. Law.

    1. final disposition of an estate or the like.

    2. the settling of property, title, etc., upon a person.

    3. the property so settled.

13. British.

    1. legal residence in a specific place.

    2. (of a pauper) the right to claim food and shelter from an official agency or specific town or district.

14. Also called settlement house.  Social Work. an establishment in an underprivileged area providing social services to local residents.

15. a subsidence or sinking of all or part of a structure.

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settlement British  

/ ˈsɛtəlmənt /

noun

1. the act or state of settling or being settled

2. the establishment of a new region; colonization

3. a place newly settled; colony

4. a collection of dwellings forming a community, esp on a frontier

5. a community formed by members of a group, esp of a religious sect

6. a public building used to provide educational and general welfare facilities for persons living in deprived areas

7. a subsidence of all or part of a structure

8. 1. the payment of an outstanding account, invoice, charge, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      settlement day

9. an adjustment or agreement reached in matters of finance, business, etc

10. law

    1. a conveyance, usually to trustees, of property to be enjoyed by several persons in succession

    2. the deed or other instrument conveying such property

    3. the determination of a dispute, etc, by mutual agreement without resorting to legal proceedings

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsettlement
  noun
• oversettlement
  noun
• presettlement
  noun
• resettlement
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• settlements
  plural

Etymology

Origin of settlement

First recorded in 1620–30; settle ¹ + -ment

Explanation

A settlement is a colony or any small community of people. If a bunch of people build houses on the moon together, they’ll have the first lunar settlement. A settlement is also the resolution of something such as a lawsuit. One kind of settlement is a place where people live. This can be a community that's smaller than a town, like a village. Also, if one country establishes a colony somewhere else, that can be called a settlement. The other kind of settlement happens when something is settled, like the end of a disagreement. A lawsuit is ended if there's a settlement — both parties make an agreement that often involves money. A settlement brings closure and resolution.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

settlement settlements

Brent oil swung to a peak settlement above $118 peak in late March, up from lows under $60 early this year.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Local divorce attorneys not involved in the case had estimated a settlement could reach as much as $1 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

He called an emergency meeting with security officials, and reinforcements have been sent to the area, close to the settlement of Havat Gilad.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

The settlement is not yet final, however, as either side may refer it back to the Supreme Court.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

There was still a chance they might return by day, and also that I might yet find a human settlement.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

During the fight with Moscow-backed rebels, Drapaty is also credited with re-capturing several settlements from Russian control and then saving his unit from being encircled.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Fires further south, near settlements, could force authorities to order new evacuations, as happened on Monday in Ontario.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

The state had also threatened legal action against seven other municipalities, including Artesia, La Habra Heights and Malibu, but were able to reach settlements before going to court, the attorney general’s office said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

One of the more unexpected findings was that human infrastructure, including roads and settlements, sometimes caused animals to become less watchful.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

Low, shaggy clouds scudded over that part of the horizon where the sea lay, behind the marshes and the beach shanty settlements, and raindrops darkened the black mackintosh I had bought that morning.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Related Words

• agreement
• arrangement
• compensation
• contract
• deal
• establishment
• payment
• resolution