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

Example Sentences

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

At its narrowest point, the Strait of Hormuz and its shipping lanes lie entirely within Iran and Oman's territorial waters.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Also, CNN reported that 38 crew members were rescued after a suspected Iranian attack set two foreign tankers ablaze in Iraqi territorial waters, citing the head of Iraq’s ports company.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

It began when Julia Bright asked her husband, William, the president of the territorial council, to introduce a suffrage bill.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• provincial