territory
$ \mathrm{territory}
noun
OPAL W
/ˈterətri/
(plural territories)
1 countable, uncountable land that is under the control of a particular country or political leader
enemy/disputed/foreign territory
occupied territories
They have refused to allow UN troops to be stationed in their territory.
Collocations War and peace
Collocations
adjective
vastnewformer…
verb + territory
holdannexcapture…
2 countable, uncountable an area that one person, group, animal, etc. considers as their own and defends against others who try to enter it
Blackbirds will defend their territory against intruders.
She seems to regard that end of the office as her territory.
Each of these gangs has its own territory.
Collocations
adjective
breedingnesting
verb + territory
defendpatrolprotect
3 countable, usually singular an area of activity, especially one that is familiar/unfamiliar or somebody's particular responsibility
This type of work is uncharted territory for us.
Legal problems are Andy's territory (= he deals with them).
4 ​countable, uncountable an area of a town, country, etc. that somebody has responsibility for in their work or another activity
Our representatives cover a very large territory.
5 ​uncountable a particular type of land
unexplored territory
6 ​(also Territory) countable a country or an area that is part of the US, Australia or Canada but is not a state or province
Guam and American Samoa are US territories.
Idioms
come/go with the territory
on neutral territory/ground
Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin territorium, from terra ‘land’. The word originally denoted the district surrounding and under the jurisdiction of a town or city, specifically a Roman or provincial city.