colonist
Americannoun
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an inhabitant of a colony.
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a member of a colonizing expedition.
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(often initial capital letter) an inhabitant of the 13 British colonies that became the United States of America.
noun
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a person who settles or colonizes an area
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an inhabitant or member of a colony
Etymology
Origin of colonist
Explanation
A colonist is a member of a government-backed group that settles in a new country or region. The land that's claimed by a colonist is usually already occupied by another group of people. A colonist can also be called a settler, someone who helps start a settlement in a new land. You might think of colonial America and the original colonists, British subjects who settled along the eastern seaboard and claimed the land as their own, despite the presence of native people. Throughout history, colonists have tended to come from Western countries. At the heart of the word colonist is the Latin root colere, "to inhabit, tend, or guard."
Vocabulary lists containing colonist
The American Revolution - Introductory
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The American Revolution - Middle School and High School
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American Naturalization Test, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Sunday paper splashed across my breakfast table was Victoria’s daily, the Times Colonist.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2022
This was evident during the couple’s stay in Victoria — not one news photo was taken or published even though Victoria’s newspaper, the Times Colonist, admitted knowing where they were staying nearby.
From Washington Times • Jan. 16, 2020
The Times Colonist newspaper admitted it knew all along where the family was staying but chose not to divulge the details until the royals left to “err on the side of discretion.”
From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2020
Colonist John Rolfe sealed this peace by marrying Pocahontas in 1614.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
“I noticed a bit about it in the Colonist a while back,” was the answer.
From The Protector by Bindloss, Harold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
