I. |terə|tōrēəl, -ȯr- adjective
Etymology: Latin territorialis of a territory, from territorium territory + -alis -al
1.
a. : of or relating to the immediate vicinity : local
b. : serving outlying areas : regional
the territorial minister and the district worker — W.G.Blaikie
2.
a. : of or relating to a territory
territorial government
territorial regiment
territorial delegate
protested violations of its territorial air by planes of a foreign power — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
two states have been admitted to the Union without having passed through the territorial stage — J.E.Stoner
b. : of or relating to private property
the soil of Italy was fast passing into the hands of a few territorial magnates — J.A.Froude
3.
a. : of or relating to an assigned or preempted area
the line of … command extends, in its simplest terms, from general to chief of the staff to territorial commanders — Don Pitt
although some animals appear to have no discernible territorial demands, most … are territory-conscious — L.W.Wing
b. : exhibiting territoriality
a territorial species
strongly territorial birds
• ter·ri·to·ri·al·ly -ēəlē, -li adverb
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a territorial military unit ; especially : home reserve
2. : a member of a territorial military unit