What does territory mean?
Territory most commonly means an area of land under the jurisdiction or control of a government, organization, or other authority. It can also refer to a broader region regarded as belonging to or claimed by a particular group, especially in political contexts such as disputed or occupied territory. Figuratively, the word describes a sphere of activity, influence, responsibility, or exclusive concern: a subject may be someone’s territory, or a business may have territory in a particular market. Animals also have territories, areas they defend or use for feeding and breeding. The verb territory is informal and means to claim or mark something as one’s own. Overall, the word combines a precise geographical sense with the broader idea of control, ownership, and belonging.
An area of land under the jurisdiction or control of a government, organization, or other authority; a region regarded as belonging to or claimed by someone. By extension, it means a sphere in which a person or group has authority, influence, or exclusive concern.
"The expedition entered territory that had never been formally mapped."
The noun is standard in political, legal, geographical, and figurative contexts.
To claim, mark, or occupy something as one’s own territory or area of control.
"The dogs quickly territory the entire garden."
This use is informal and is especially common in descriptions of people or animals claiming and defending an area.
The usual plural is “territories,” used for separate regions or areas under different control.
"The two territories were divided by a narrow river."
The word began with land under Roman rule, but its modern range extends far beyond borders: territory can be a patch of ground, a nation’s sphere of authority, or simply a field someone has claimed as their own.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does territory come from?
Territory entered English in the late Middle English period through Anglo-French, ultimately deriving from the Latin territorium, a neuter form meaning territory or land. Latin territorium was associated with terra, “earth,” and was used for land under a city’s or authority’s jurisdiction. The modern geographical sense developed from that historical use, while the abstract sense of a field of control and the informal verb are later extensions.
Related word forms
How territory is actually used
In political and legal contexts, territory usually refers to land governed or claimed by a state or other authority. In figurative use, it often implies a sphere of influence, responsibility, or exclusivity. As a verb, territory is informal and commonly means to mark or treat something as one’s own.
Easily confused with territory
Territory is a noun naming an area or sphere of control, whereas territorial is an adjective describing something connected with such an area or with territorial defense.