[ter.ri.to.ry] n, pl -ries [ME, fr. L territorium, lit., land around a town, fr. terra land--more at terrace] (15c) 1 a: a geographical area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority b: an administrative subdivision of a country c: a part of the U.S. not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature d: a geographical area (as a colonial possession) dependent on an external government but having some degree of autonomy
2. a: an indeterminate geographical area b: a field of knowledge or interest 3 a: an assigned area; esp: one in which a sales representative or distributor operates b: an area often including a nesting or denning site and a variable foraging range that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals -- go with the territory or come with the territory : to be a natural or unavoidable aspect or accompaniment of a particular situation, position, or field "criticism goes with the territory in this job"