colonist

[kol-uh-nist]

noun

1. an inhabitant of a colony.

2. a member of a colonizing expedition.

3. (often initial capital letter),  an inhabitant of the 13 British colonies that became the United States of America.

colonist

/ ˈkɒlənɪst /

noun

1. a person who settles or colonizes an area

2. an inhabitant or member of a colony

Word History and Origins

Origin of colonist¹

An Americanism dating back to 1695–1705; colon(y) + -ist

Example Sentences

Rebellious colonists skewered British taxation policies, military blunders and parliamentary pomposities through plays, songs and cartoons that rallied others to the cause of independence and made mass mobilization fun.

From Los Angeles Times

We have not seen this type of autocratic behavior since a king ruled our country and colonists staged a revolt against high tea tariffs.

From Salon

The park also features another recirculating stream and 100 species of native plants that would have provided food, shelter and habitat in the region before the explorers and colonists arrived.

From Los Angeles Times

British colonists committed genocide against Australia's Indigenous population in Victoria, a landmark Aboriginal-led inquiry has found.

From BBC

Before the Civil War, the U.S. military was kept small, in part to avoid the kinds of abuses American colonists suffered under the British.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• colonizer