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REFERENCE

colony

n.
US //ˈkɑɫəni// UK //kˈɒləni// colony
  1. 1 controlled territory (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a country or area that is ruled by another, more powerful country.

    a territory under the political control of a distant state, often established for resource extraction or strategic settlement.

    Example

    In the 18th century, America was still a British colony.

    Example

    The administration of the colony was managed by a governor appointed directly by the crown to oversee trade and taxation.
  2. 2 group of organisms (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Biology

    a group of animals or plants of the same type that live together.

    a population of organisms of the same species living in close physical association, often functioning as a single unit.

    Example

    The researchers found a large colony of ants living under the old tree.

    Example

    Marine biologists observed that the coral colony was beginning to recover after several years of strictly enforced environmental protections.
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  1. 3 neighbourhood (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Dialect

    a name for a specific neighbourhood or a group of apartment buildings.

    a residential district, housing estate, or neighbourhood.

    Example

    He lives in a quiet colony near the city centre.

    Example

    The new housing colony was designed with integrated parks and local shops to serve the growing middle-class population.

    Usage

    Commonly used in Indian English to refer to residential areas.

    Teacher's tip

    In Indian English, this is a standard way to describe a residential area; however, in British or American English, it might sound like a historical or biological term.
Origin

From Middle English colane, colonye, from Latin colōnia (“colony”), from colōnus (“farmer; colonist”), from colō (“till, cultivate, worship”), from earlier quelō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”). Doublet of Cologne, Colonia, and Köln.

Word family

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