What does decolonization mean?
Decolonization is the process by which territories formerly ruled by foreign powers become independent nations, and by extension, the broader effort to undo the legacies of colonial rule. The term is most closely associated with the mid-twentieth century, when colonies across Asia and Africa gained independence from European empires, often through negotiation but frequently through prolonged struggle. Beyond formal political independence, decolonization also describes attempts to address colonialism's enduring effects — in education, language, museums, economics, and public monuments — making it a prominent term in postcolonial studies and contemporary social debate. Because it carries strong moral and political connotations, its use can signal solidarity with anti-colonial movements or critique of imperial histories, and its extended sense remains contested in some circles. Understanding decolonization therefore requires grasping both its precise historical meaning, the transfer of sovereign power from colonizer to colonized, and its wider modern usage as a project of cultural and intellectual reckoning.
nounThe process by which a country or territory that was under the political control of another nation becomes independent; more broadly, the undoing of colonial structures and their legacies in institutions, culture, and thought.
- The process by which a colony gains political independence from its ruling imperial power.
- By extension, efforts to dismantle the cultural, institutional, and intellectual legacies of colonialism within a society or field.
"The decolonization of Africa accelerated dramatically after the Second World War."
"India's decolonization in 1947 marked the beginning of the end for the British Empire."
"Scholars have called for the decolonization of university curricula, arguing that they still reflect colonial perspectives."
Within roughly three decades after 1945, dozens of new nations were born as European empires that had stood for centuries largely dissolved.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decolonization
Decolonization derives from the prefix "de-" (indicating reversal) attached to "colonization," which comes via French "colonisation" from Latin "colonus," meaning farmer or settler — itself from "colere," to till or inhabit. The word emerged in English during the early twentieth century, gaining widespread use after the Second World War as European empires dissolved. It shares its Latin root with words such as "colony," "colonial," "culture," and "cultivate."
Related word forms
How decolonization is actually used
A formal register word, common in history, political science, and postcolonial studies. In recent decades it has acquired a broader figurative sense relating to revising institutions, curricula, or discourse to remove colonial assumptions; this extended use can be politically charged.
Easily confused with decolonization
"Decolonization" is the standard, far more common form, while "decolonialization" is a rarer variant meaning essentially the same thing but often sounding redundant.