territory

noun ter·ri·to·ry \ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē\

: an area of land that belongs to or is controlled by a government

: one of the parts of the United States that is not a state

: any one of the large parts that some countries are divided into

plural -ries

Full Definition of TERRITORY

a : a geographic area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority

b : an administrative subdivision of a country

c : a part of the United States not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature

d : a geographic area (as a colonial possession) dependent on an external government but having some degree of autonomy

a : an indeterminate geographic area

b : a field of knowledge or interest

a : an assigned area; especially : one in which a sales representative or distributor operates

b : an area often including a nesting or denning site and a variable foraging range that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals

— go with the territory or come with the territory

: to be a natural or unavoidable aspect or accompaniment of a particular situation, position, or field <criticism goes with the territory in this job>

See territory defined for English-language learners

See territory defined for kids

Origin of TERRITORY

Middle English, from Latin territorium, literally, land around a town, from terra land — more at terrace

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to TERRITORY

Synonyms: habitat, niche, range, home

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

Rhymes with TERRITORY

a priori, allegory, amatory, auditory, bedtime story, cacciatore, castratory, category, con amore, cover story, crematory, damnatory, decretory, dilatory, dormitory, excretory, expletory, feudatory, fumitory, Göteborg, gustatory, gyratory, horror story, hortatory, hunky-dory, inventory, laudatory, lavatory, mandatory, migratory, minatory, monitory, Montessori, morning glory, nugatory, offertory, oratory, overstory, piscatory, precatory, predatory, prefatory, probatory, promissory, promontory, purgatory, repertory, Ruwenzori, signatory, statutory, sudatory, transitory, understory, vibratory, vomitory, yakitori

COME WITH THE TERRITORY Defined for Kids

territory

noun ter·ri·to·ry \ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē\

plural ter·ri·to·ries

Definition of TERRITORY for Kids

: a geographical area belonging to or under the rule of a government

: a part of the United States not included within any state but organized with a separate governing body

: region 1, district

: an area that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals

Word Root of TERRITORY

The Latin word terra, meaning “earth,” “land,” or “ground,” gives us the root terr. Words from the Latin terra have something to do with the earth or land. A territory is an area of land ruled by a particular government. A terrace is a piece of land with a flat top. Anything terrestrial lives on land and not in water.