: the establishing of a colony (see colonysense 1) : subjugation of a people or area especially as an extension of state power
The news arrives at a time of debate over how museums should handle artifacts acquired through colonization and conquest. Isis Davis-Marks
"… in contrast to their earlier colonization of the Caribbean, the Spanish encountered highly urbanized civilizations in Mesoamerica and continually equated them with those of the Islamic and Greco-Roman Mediterranean." David Carballo
b
: migration to and settlement in an inhabited or uninhabited area
the colonization of space/Mars
c(1)
biology: the spread and development of an organism in a new area or habitat
The colonization of land by eukaryotes probably was facilitated by a partnership (symbiosis) between a photosynthesizing organism … and a fungus. Daniel S. Heckman et al.
(2)
medical: the presence and multiplication of a microorganism (such as a bacterium) in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
It is important to reassess wounds frequently to determine if there is colonization of bacteria within the wound.Emergency Medicine Reports
Adhesion to the intestinal epithelial cells is considered as necessary for probiotic microorganisms to colonize the large intestine, and colonization is important for beneficial health effects such as modulation of the immune system … O. D. Amund
… they significantly reduced the rate of bacterial colonization of the devices from 30% to 9% and cut the rate of infection in patients from 4% to 0. Carol Potera
d
: the act or practice of appropriating something that one does not own or have a right to
… the pop culture discourse is more open to considering the fraught dynamic of Western colonization of music rooted in Africa than it's ever been. Matthew Ismael Ruiz
It's a strange objection from someone who rails against the growing blandness of New York—the chain stores and suburban sensibilities, the colonization by the rich, the boring, the feloniously ahistoric. Ginia Bellafante
2
: the state of being colonized : subjugation by a foreign power
"If I am fighting our struggle on Indigenous territories, then I must also understand and be in solidarity with Indigenous struggles against colonization. To imagine our freedom without first recognizing and fighting for Indigenous sovereignty is impossible." El Jones
Recent Examples on the WebThe demands reflected anger over the history of colonization amid the outpouring of sympathy that followed Elizabeth’s death last Thursday at age 96. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2022 The brutal colonization that followed has set the tone for how Aboriginal people have been treated throughout the nation’s history. Yan Zhuang, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2022 Due to colonization from Spanish, Mexican, and later, American forces, the Kumeyaay were forced off of their ancestral lands. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Aug. 2022 White colonization of Australia started in the late 1700s, and the first convicts and settlers arrived on a vast continent, without one permanent structure, bridge, road or port. Greg Story, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Robbing the Los Angeles River of its breath is an unmistakable act of colonization. Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Indeed, some think the new project could become a model for other Canadian cities and landmarks as the country seeks to overcome the oppressive and ongoing effects of colonization. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2022 Rowland says that her goal as a mother is to break the cycle of trauma stemming from a violent history of colonization, including through boarding schools, and passed down to her people across generations. Jenna Kunze, ELLE, 28 July 2022 The phenomenon of colonization was widespread, an important part of Europe’s emerging commercial and industrial systems. Marilynne Robinson, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 See More