Colonist
/ˈkɒl.ə.nɪst/noun
A person who settles in a colony or establishes a settlement in another country or region.
Did you know?Roman coloniae were originally settlements of Roman citizens, and the Latin root implied both cultivating land and inhabiting it—language that linked agriculture with territorial occupation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kʷel-
“To move around, turn, or dwell in a place; the reconstructed root behind several words for circular movement and habitation.”
Classical Latin
Latin
colere
“To cultivate, till the soil, inhabit, or worship; its meanings connected farming, residence, and religious observance.”
Classical Latin
Latin
colonus
“A farmer, tenant, or settler; literally a person associated with cultivating or inhabiting land.”
Classical Latin
Latin
colonia
“A settlement or organized community of Roman citizens, often established in conquered territory.”
Middle English
Old French/English
colonie
“A colony or settlement founded by people from another country.”
17th Century
English
colonist
“A person who settles in or belongs to a colony; formed from colony with the agent suffix -ist.”
Modern English
English
colonist
“A person who settles in a colony or establishes a settlement in a foreign region.”