colonization
n. C / Un. the act of one country taking control of another land and its people. It usually involves sending people to live there and setting up a new government.
n. the process by which a central system of power dominates the surrounding land and its components. Often involves the establishment of settlements and the exploitation of resources by a foreign power.
The colonization of the island changed its culture forever.
Historians study the colonization of the Americas to understand the long-term effects on indigenous populations.
The rapid colonization of the continent led to a complex web of cultural exchange and systemic oppression that continues to influence modern geopolitical relations.
From colonize + -ation.
Uncountable when referring to the general historical process; countable when referring to specific instances or events.