colony
[ kol-uh-nee ]
/ ˈkɒl ə ni /
noun, plural col·o·nies.
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Nearby words
Origin of colony
Related formssem·i·col·o·ny, noun, plural sem·i·col·o·nies.sub·col·o·ny, noun, plural sub·col·o·nies.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples 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
- a community of people who form a national, racial, or cultural minorityan artists' colony; the American colony in London
- the area itself
zoology
- a group of the same type of animal or plant living or growing together, esp in large numbers
- 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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for colonies
colony
late 14c., "ancient Roman settlement outside Italy," from Latin colonia "settled land, farm, landed estate," from colonus "husbandman, tenant farmer, settler in new land," from colere "to inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, guard, respect," from PIE root *kwel- "move around" (source of Latin -cola "inhabitant;" see cycle (n.)). Also used by the Romans to translate Greek apoikia "people from home." Modern application dates from 1540s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for colonies
colony
[ kŏl′ə-nē ]
n.
A discrete group of organisms, such as a group of cells growing on a solid nutrient surface.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for colonies
colony
[ kŏl′ə-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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.