Self-colonize

verb

verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To regain power (by indigenous people) after having been under colonial rule by another country, typically with the adoption of some of the culture of the former colonizers.

    "Nazi-era Schlager are thus reappropriated as part of the FRG after 1989 and help to self-colonize the previously alien(ated) nation of Germany for the Germans."

  2. 2
    To be introduced into an ecosystem through natural processes, as opposed to deliberate introduction by people.

    "Cordgrass will be planted, not left to self-colonize."

Example

More examples

"Nazi-era Schlager are thus reappropriated as part of the FRG after 1989 and help to self-colonize the previously alien(ated) nation of Germany for the Germans."

Etymology

From self- + colonize.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.