territory
any tract of land; region or district.
the land and waters belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a state, sovereign, etc.
any separate tract of land belonging to a state.
(often initial capital letter)Government.
a region or district of the U.S. not admitted to the Union as a state but having its own legislature, with a governor and other officers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
some similar district elsewhere, as in Canada and Australia.
a field or sphere of action, thought, etc.; domain or province of something.
the region or district assigned to a representative, agent, or the like, as for making sales.
the area that an animal defends against intruders, especially of the same species.
Origin of territory
1Other words for territory
Other words from territory
- sub·ter·ri·to·ry, noun, plural sub·ter·ri·to·ries.
Words Nearby territory
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use territory in a sentence
“Altamirano has always been a disputed territory,” said Father Javier.
When they invade new territory, populations are low, and the queen has limited mate options.
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family | Helen Thompson | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut there is a messy middle territory between demonization and idealization.
"We live on enormous territory, our eyes have different shapes, we believe in different religions," she said.
Rebranding The Land of Mongol Warriors & Ivan The Terrible | Anna Nemtsova | December 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAssad-affiliated Christian militias skirt around the territory of rival groups aligned with the YPG.
In One Corner of Syria, Christmas Spirit Somehow Manages to Survive | Peter Schwartzstein | December 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
If those jaspers flash any part of the roll in the territory before snowfall, I'll get them.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairThus four thousand Indians at most roam through, rather than occupy, these vast stretches of inland territory and sea-shore.
The goods manager was not aggressive, and it was sometimes thought that Mathieson inclined to encroach upon his territory.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowPoindexter and Cobb had now come back into the territory that was commanded by Colonel Guitar.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnTheir territory extended 400 miles on the Atlantic coast, and "from the Atlantic westward to the South sea."
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
British Dictionary definitions for territory (1 of 2)
/ (ˈtɛrɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /
any tract of land; district
the geographical domain under the jurisdiction of a political unit, esp of a sovereign state
the district for which an agent, etc, is responsible: a salesman's territory
an area inhabited and defended by an individual animal or a breeding group of animals
an area of knowledge: science isn't my territory
(in football, hockey, etc) the area defended by a team
(often capital) a region of a country, esp of a federal state, that enjoys less autonomy and a lower status than most constituent parts of the state
(often capital) a protectorate or other dependency of a country
Origin of territory
1British Dictionary definitions for Territory (2 of 2)
/ (ˈtɛrɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /
the Territory Australian See Northern Territory
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for territory
[ tĕr′ĭ-tôr′ē ]
A geographic area occupied by a single animal, mating pair, or group. Animals usually defend their territory vigorously against intruders, especially of the same species, but the defense often takes the form of prominent, threatening displays rather than out-and-out fighting. Different animals mark off territory in different ways, as by leaving traces of their scent along the boundaries or, in the case of birds, modifying their calls to keep out intruders.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with territory
see come with the territory; cover the field (territory).
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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