colonialism

[kuh-loh-nee-uh-liz-uh m] /kəˈloʊ ni əˌlɪz əm/
noun
1.
the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
2.
the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates such control or influence.
3.
the state or condition of being colonial.
4.
an idea, custom, or practice peculiar to a colony.
Origin
1850-55; colonial + -ism
Related forms
colonialist, noun, adjective
colonialistic, adjective
Examples from the web for colonialism
  • colonialism is also susceptible of accurate definition.
  • Then with colonialism, the language started taking words from everywhere.
  • It defeated fascism, shed colonialism, outlasted communism and survived more than one crisis of its own making.
  • Shamanism, colonialism, and the wild man a study in terror and healing.
British Dictionary definitions for colonialism

colonialism

/kəˈləʊnɪəˌlɪzəm/
noun
1.
the policy and practice of a power in extending control over weaker peoples or areas Also called imperialism
Derived Forms
colonialist, noun, adjective
Word Origin and History for colonialism
n.

1853, "ways or speech of colonial persons," from colonial + -ism. Meaning "the system of colonial rule" is from 1886.

colonialism in Culture

colonialism definition


The control of one nation by “transplanted” people of another nation — often a geographically distant nation that has a different culture and dominant racial or ethnic group. (See ethnicity.)

Note: A classic example of colonialism is the control of India by Britain from the eighteenth century to 1947.
Note: Control that is economic and cultural, rather than political, is often called neocolonialism.