territorial

[ter-i-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR territorial ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to territory or land.

of, pertaining to, associated with, or restricted to a particular territory or district; local.

pertaining or belonging to the territory of a state or ruler.

(of an animal) characterized by territoriality; defending an area against intruders, especially of the same species.

(often initial capital letter) of or relating to a territory of the U.S.

(initial capital letter) Military. organized on a local basis for home defense: the British Territorial Army.

noun

(initial capital letter) a member of the British Territorial Army.

a soldier in a territorial army.

Origin of territorial

From the Late Latin word territōriālis, dating back to 1615–25. See territory, -al¹

Related formster·ri·to·ri·al·ly, adverbnon·ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjectivenon·ter·ri·to·ri·al·ly, adverbpre·ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjectivequa·si-ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjectivequa·si-ter·ri·to·ri·al·ly, adverbsub·ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for territorial

provincial, national, sectional, areal

Examples from the Web for territorial

Contemporary Examples of territorial

Tribal, sectarian and territorial conflicts made it a constantly turbulent place, despite the hammer of Ottoman rule.
Gertrude of Arabia, the Woman Who Invented Iraq
Clive Irving
June 17, 2014
India is a fellow democracy, and, like Japan, feels acutely vulnerable to Chinese territorial and economic expansionism.
Mr. Politically Correct Obama, Meet Your Opposite, India’s Mr. Modi
Tunku Varadarajan
May 17, 2014
Both countries have supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine without giving Moscow a reason to justify more aggression.
Why America Must Stop Comparing Ukraine To World War II
Will Cathcart
March 10, 2014
Perhaps he now reckons that once again there will be no serious consequences for his territorial lust.
Cut the Baloney on Ukraine
Leslie H. Gelb
March 9, 2014
South Sudan's government has been engaged in a territorial struggle against an armed rebellion for weeks.
Government Ceasefire Is First Step Towards Peace in South Sudan
John Prendergast, Akshaya Kumar
January 24, 2014

Historical Examples of territorial

But this was by no means the limit to territorial acquisition.
The Nation in a Nutshell
George Makepeace Towle
Four of the Territorial gunners were wounded by the Turkish batteries.
The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of VIII)
Various
The sentimental song was typical of the Territorial's taste.
With Manchesters in the East
Gerald B. Hurst
Three criticisms of the Territorial system have been made ever since its adoption in 1907.
With Manchesters in the East
Gerald B. Hurst
Much has been written about Germany's territorial ambitions.
The Story of the Great War, Volume II (of VIII)
Various

British Dictionary definitions for territorial

territorial

adjective

of or relating to a territory or territories

restricted to or owned by a particular territorythe Indian territorial waters

local or regional

pertaining to a territorial army, providing a reserve of trained men for use in emergency

Derived Formsterritorially, adverb

Territorial

noun

a member of a territorial army, esp the British Army's Territorial and Volunteer Reserve

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for territorial

adj.

1768, from Late Latin territorialis, from territorium (see territory). In reference to British regiments, from 1881. Territorial army "British home defense" is from 1908. Territorial waters is from 1841; territorial imperative "animal need to claim and defend territory" is from 1966.