colonialism

American  

[kuh-loh-nee-uh-liz-uhm] / kəˈloʊ ni əˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.

2. the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates control or influence over a dependent country, territory, or people.

3. the state or condition of being colonial.

4. an idea, custom, or practice peculiar to a colony.

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colonialism British  

/ kəˈləʊnɪəˌlɪzəm /

noun

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

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colonialism Cultural  

1. 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.)

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Discover More

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

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

Other Word Forms

• colonialist
  noun
• colonialistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of colonialism

First recorded in 1850–55; colonial ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Explanation

Colonialism has to do with one country exploiting another country by making it into a colony. Which is usually good for the mother country and bad for the colony. Colonialism is a system in which one country creates an empire by taking over other lands and making them into colonies. Colonies don't have power over themselves, and the mother country takes resources and money from the colony. It's not a very fair system, but it's also how the United States got its start: England was really into colonialism and had built a huge empire, until some feisty American patriots decided to rebel.

Example Sentences

Colonialism, once equated by the West with civilizing progress, became synonymous with iniquity.

From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2023

"Colonialism itself is a taking - it is about taking resources, land, culture and language and children," she said.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2023

Colonialism is a practice in which one group of people attempts to establish control over another, usually for purposes of economic exploitation.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

Colonialism is a moral blight, but it is also an ugly, messy, disorderly business.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2018

In Mr. Henry Cabot Lodge's interesting and stimulant volume called Studies in History there is no essay more interesting or more stimulating than that on "Colonialism in the United States."

From Americanisms and Briticisms with other essays on other isms by Matthews, Brander