territorial

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

/ ˌtɛr ɪˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr- /

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.

RELATED WORDS

provincial, national, sectional, areal

Nearby words

Origin of territorial

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

Related forms

ter·ri·to·ri·al·ly, adverbnon·ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjectivenon·ter·ri·to·ri·al·ly, adverbpre·ter·ri·to·ri·al, adjective

qua·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

Examples from the Web for 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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

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|DAILY BEAST
From there leads a zone 20 sea miles wide west of 22 degrees 30 minutes eastern longitude into Greek territorial waters.
Kelly Miller's History of the World War for Human Rights|Kelly Miller
Congress had left these matters to the territorial legislatures.
Stephen A. Douglas|Allen Johnson
Texas, with the territorial dimensions of an empire, answered the agrarian needs of the slave system.
William Lloyd Garrison|Archibald H. Grimke
We resolve to cut in between the two, to make the land below Atlantic City, and take advantage of territorial waters.
Merchantmen-at-Arms|David W. Bone
That depended on the territorial law, the attitude of the people.
Children of the Market Place|Edgar Lee Masters

British Dictionary definitions for territorial

territorial

/ (ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl) /

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

/ (ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl) /

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

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.