I. kə-ˈlō-nē-əl, -nyəl adjective
Date: 1768
1. : of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony
2. often capitalized : of or relating to the original 13 colonies forming the United States: as
a. : made or prevailing in America during the colonial period
colonial architecture
b. : adapted from or reminiscent of an American colonial mode of design
colonial furniture
3. : forming or existing in a colony
colonial organisms
4. : possessing or composed of colonies
a colonial empire
• co·lo·nial·ize -nē-ə-ˌlīz, -nyə-ˌlīz transitive verb
• co·lo·nial·ly adverb
• co·lo·nial·ness noun
II. noun
Date: 1798
1. : a member or inhabitant of a colony
2.
a. : a product (as a coin or stamp) made for use in a colony
b. : a product exhibiting colonial style ; especially often capitalized : a house built in the neoclassical style of the American colonial period