territorial

[ter-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-]

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.

noun

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

2. a soldier in a territorial army.

territorial

¹

/ 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

Territorial

²

/ ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of territorial¹

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

Example Sentences

According to researchers, Red Command is the only criminal group which in recent years has managed to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Read more on BBC

But China more recently has escalated incursions in and around South Korean territorial waters.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It recently overtook the city's militias in terms of territorial control, but experts say the battle for dominance in the city is far from won.

Read more on Barron's

Over decades, Peronism built up strong loyalty and territorial control in the province by forging close ties to organized labor and grassroots organizations, handing out pensions for retired manual laborers and stipends for young mothers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The South China Sea is one of the world’s most contested waterways, where Beijing’s claims for territorial waters clash with those of several Southeast Asian nations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• provincial