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• territorial
  territorial

  adjective

  of or relating to territory or land.
• Territorial
  Territorial

  noun

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

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

• territorials
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• territorials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of territorial

First recorded in 1615–25; from Late Latin territōriāli; see 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

See Examples For:

territorial Territorial territorials

Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv last met for US-mediated talks in Geneva in February, but did not reach an agreement on territorial issues.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

During Sharaa's last visit in January, Putin said "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations", commending Sharaa for his "efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity".

From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026

“Both inbound and outbound routes are said to be at the northern part of the Strait in Iranian territorial waters,” the analysts say in a research report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The authors, both entomologists, detail violent territorial battles between colonies and against invading predators.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“Okay, okay,” I cut in, not in the mood for another territorial fight.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

The command of Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces and Ukraine's human rights commissioner of Ukraine said all the civilians they had evacuated from Kursk region had been handed over to Russia.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

The former British Army reserve and Territorial Army officer has long been vocal on international affairs and security matters.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres has been tasked with co-ordinating the response, relieving the Ceuta local government of that responsibility.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

"This is the red line that must not be crossed", Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji told a press conference late on Sunday.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025

Territorial empires directly occupy territories with their armies, throw out the old rulers, and annex the land.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Twenty-eight of the Skye territorials lived within sight of Portree harbour.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2014

That would give Italy 600,000 men under arms, not counting territorials.

From Time Magazine Archive

Britain now has 827,000 men & women in uniform, counting the regular army, navy and air force, plus draftees and territorials.

From Time Magazine Archive

At the tables handsome flying Johnnies, naval Jacks in full dress, guardsmen, territorials, and just plain civics sat making conversational love.

From Time Magazine Archive

The territorials who are in charge of them say that they were much more lively at first.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Related Words

• provincial