Colonies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Colony \Col"o*ny\ (k[o^]l"[-o]*n[y^]), n.; pl. {Colonies}
     (k[o^]l"[-o]*n[i^]z). [L. colonia, fr. colonus farmer, fr.
     colere to cultivate, dwell: cf. F. colonie. Cf. {Culture}.]
     1. A company of people transplanted from their mother country
        to a remote province or country, and remaining subject to
        the jurisdiction of the parent state; as, the British


        colonies in America.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The first settlers of New England were the best of
              Englishmen, well educated, devout Christians, and
              zealous lovers of liberty. There was never a colony
              formed of better materials.           --Ames.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The district or country colonized; a settlement.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. a territory subject to the ruling governmental authority
        of another country and not a part of the ruling country.
        [PJC]
  
     4. A company of persons from the same country sojourning in a
        foreign city or land; as, the American colony in Paris.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Nat. Hist.) A number of animals or plants living or
        growing together, beyond their usual range.
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     6. (Bot.) A cell family or group of common origin, mostly of
        unicellular organisms, esp. among the lower alg[ae]. They
        may adhere in chains or groups, or be held together by a
        gelatinous envelope.
        [PJC]
  
     7. (Zool.) A cluster or aggregation of zooids of any compound
        animal, as in the corals, hydroids, certain tunicates,
        etc.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     8. (Zool.) A community of social insects, as ants, bees, etc.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     9. (Microbiology) a group of microorganisms originating as
        the descendents of one individual cell, growing on a
        gelled growth medium, as of gelatin or agar; especially,
        such a group that has grown to a sufficient number to be
        visible to the naked eye.
        [PJC]