1. the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area
Usage: British spelling; American spelling is ‘colonization’
2. the action of appropriating a place or domain for one’s own use
Usage: often used metaphorically

Examples

• The colonisation of Australia by Europeans began in 1788.
• Spanish colonisation of the Americas had lasting cultural effects.
• The museum exhibit explored the impact of British colonisation on local populations.
• Many countries gained independence after centuries of colonisation.
• The colonisation of Mars remains a topic of scientific speculation.
• Digital platforms worry about the colonisation of online spaces by commercial interests.