What does colonialism mean?
Colonialism is the practice by which a powerful nation takes and maintains political, economic, and cultural control over foreign territories and peoples, typically establishing settlements of its own subjects and exploiting local resources for the benefit of the metropole. Though forms of colonialism existed in antiquity, the term most often evokes the vast European empires built from the late fifteenth century onward, which at their height governed much of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and the Americas. The word carries heavy historical weight: decolonization struggles, drawn borders, linguistic legacies, and enduring inequalities are frequently traced to this era. It is closely related to but distinct from imperialism, a broader concept covering any expansion of power. Understanding colonialism is essential for discussing modern geopolitics, migration, and postcolonial studies, where terms like neocolonialism extend its meaning into present-day economic and cultural influence.
nounThe practice or policy by which a powerful country establishes and maintains control over foreign territories and peoples, often settling them with colonists and exploiting their resources. More broadly, it refers to the historical system of European (and other) imperial expansion and rule over much of Asia, Africa, and the Americas from roughly the 15th to the mid-20th century.
- The practice or system of acquiring full or partial political control over another territory, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
- The specific historical era of European overseas expansion and domination of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, especially from the late 15th century to the mid-20th century.
"Many African nations are still reckoning with borders drawn during colonialism."
"Colonialism reshaped global trade routes in ways still visible today."
"Scholars continue to debate whether economic exploitation was inherent to colonialism or merely a consequence of it."
Rarely used; the plural appears mainly in academic writing when distinguishing distinct colonial projects or varieties, e.g. 'comparative study of different colonialisms'.
"The seminar compared Spanish, British, and Japanese colonialisms across three continents."
At its peak, a handful of European powers controlled roughly four-fifths of the world's land surface.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of colonialism
The word derives ultimately from Latin 'colonus', meaning farmer or settler, via the Latin noun 'colonia' — a settlement established in conquered territory — which passed into English as 'colony'. From 'colony' came the adjective 'colonial', and by combining it with '-ism' (a suffix denoting systems, doctrines, or practices) English formed 'colonialism' in the nineteenth century, as the age of empire prompted new vocabulary to describe the phenomenon. Related words sharing the same root include 'colonialist' and, more distantly through the root *kel- meaning 'to dwell or cultivate', 'culture' and 'cultivate'.
Related word forms
How colonialism is actually used
Register is neutral-to-formal. In contemporary academic and journalistic writing, 'colonialism' often carries strongly negative connotations tied to exploitation and violence, though the word itself remains descriptive rather than inherently pejorative. The related term 'postcolonialism' refers both to the period after independence movements succeeded and to an academic field studying colonialism's lasting cultural effects.
Easily confused with colonialism
Imperialism is broader — any policy of extending a country's power through conquest, diplomacy, or economics — while colonialism specifically involves acquiring and settling territory with colonists.
Colonisation is the physical act of establishing settlements in a new territory; colonialism is the broader political and economic system that governs and justifies that control.