colony

A country or area ruled by another country, usually far away.

• The island was once a colony.
• Several former colonies became independent in the twentieth century.
• The empire took resources from its overseas colonies.

Similar words: dependency

Common phrases: british colony, former colony, overseas colony

A group of animals, plants, or other living things that live closely together.

• An ant colony lives under that stone.
• The island supports a large colony of seabirds.
• Scientists grew bacterial colonies in the laboratory.

How to use it: a colony of something (A colony of bats lives in the cave.)

Common phrases: ant colony, bacterial colony, colony of something

A community formed by people who move from another place and keep connections with their original country.

• The settlers founded a small colony.
• Families from abroad joined the colony over several years.
• The colony kept close ties with its original homeland.

Similar words: settlement

Common phrases: settler colony, establish a colony, found a colony

A group of homes or apartment buildings forming one neighborhood.

• Our colony has a small park.
• Residents of the colony share a water supply.
• Several new apartment buildings have opened in the colony.

Similar words: neighborhood, housing complex

Common phrases: residential colony, housing colony, our colony