territory
pronunciation
How to pronounce territory in British English:
UK [ˈterətri]
How to pronounce territory in American English:
US [ˈterətɔːri]
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- Noun:
- a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
- an area of knowledge or interest
- the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state
Word Origin
- territory (n.)
- late 14c., "land under the jurisdiction of a town, state, etc.," probably from Latin territorium "land around a town, domain, district," from terra "earth, land" (see terrain) + -orium, suffix denoting place (see -ory). Sense of "any tract of land, district, region" is first attested c. 1600. Specific U.S. sense of "organized self-governing region not yet a state" is from 1799. Of regions defended by animals from 1774. "Since -torium is a productive suffix only after verbal stems, the rise of terri-torium is unexplained" [Michiel de Vaan, "Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages"]. An alternative theory, somewhat supported by the vowels of the original Latin word, suggests derivation from terrere "to frighten" (see terrible); thus territorium would mean "a place from which people are warned off."
Example
- 1. This is new territory for the european project .
- 2. Previous empires have gained power and wealth by conquering territory .
- 3. China has disputes over maritime territory with several neighbours .
- 4. There are several huge shops on the territory of the enterprise .
- 5. But this is sensitive territory .