territorial

American  

[ter-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] / ˌtɛr ɪˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr- /

adjective

1. of or relating to territory or land.

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

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

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

5. Often Territorial of or relating to a territory of the United States.

6. Military. Territorial, organized on a local basis for home defense.

   the British Territorial Army.

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noun

1. Territorial, a member of the British Territorial Army.

2. a soldier in a territorial army.

territorial ¹ British  

/ ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a territory or territories

2. restricted to or owned by a particular territory

   the Indian territorial waters

3. local or regional

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

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Territorial ² British  

/ ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• nonterritorial adjective
• nonterritorially adverb
• preterritorial adjective
• quasi-territorial adjective
• quasi-territorially adverb
• subterritorial adjective
• territorially adverb

Etymology

Origin of territorial

First recorded in 1615–25; from Late Latin territōriāli; territory, -al ¹

Explanation

If your dog barks whenever someone walks through your yard, it might be because she's territorial, or inclined to protect her territory from trespassers. A person — or an animal — who guards or defends the area she considers to belong to her is territorial. You can also use the adjective to describe anything relating to the territory itself. For example, territorial boundaries are invisible lines that mark the division between one country, or territory, and another. The Latin root, territorium, "land around a town," comes from terra, "earth or land."

Example Sentences

“Just building a fixed facility in and of itself does not qualify as territorial appropriation or territorial sovereignty.”

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

His line-break helped Exeter apply the territorial pressure that led to Vintcent going over, with Slade superbly using the prevailing wind to kick a tricky conversion.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Fieldwork and logistics were supported by multiple organizations in Nunavut, with permits granted by territorial authorities and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

Kyiv’s forces have notched their biggest domestic territorial gains in more than two years after Russia lost the use of Starlink.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

The males are making their last territorial an- noucements before darkness falls.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• provincial