v.
Pronunciation: ' kä-l ə - ˌ n ī z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -nized ; -niz · ing
Date: 1622
transitive verb
1 a : to establish a colony in or on or of < colonize an island> b : to establish in a colony <the rights of colonized people>
2 : to send illegal or irregularly qualified voters into < colonizing doubtful districts>
3 : to infiltrate with usually subversive militants for propaganda and strategy reasons < colonize industries>
intransitive verb : to make or establish a colony : SETTLE
– col · o · niz · er noun