territory

noun

ter·​ri·​to·​ry ˈter-ə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce territory (audio)
plural territories
1
a
: a geographic 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 geographic area (such as a colonial possession) dependent on an external government but having some degree of autonomy
2
a
: an indeterminate geographic area
b
: a field of knowledge or interest
3
a
: an assigned area
especially : 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
Phrases
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

Examples of territory in a Sentence

Those mountains are in Mexican territory. Guam is a U.S. territory. The birds are busy establishing territories and building nests. Male cats spray to mark territory. The goal of the expedition is to map unexplored territory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sikes delves into uncharted territory, with pieces that are a first for the designer. India Roby, Architectural Digest, 2 May 2025 And there’s other birds that would’ve probably had to hunker down, may not have been able to escape the flames, ones with smaller territories. Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2025 Arguments cross the line into unhealthy territory when respect disappears. Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 Come mid-month, Mercury will slip into Taurus and eventually square Pluto, creating a push and pull between the desire to retreat and go within, or venturing into the unknown and exploring new territory. Staff Author, People.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for territory

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin territorium, literally, land around a town, from terra land — more at terrace entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of territory was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Territory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territory. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

territory

noun
ter·​ri·​to·​ry ˈter-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce territory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
plural territories
1
a
: a geographic area belonging to or under the control of a government
b
: a part of the U.S. not included within any state but having a separate governing body
2
a
: an assigned area
a sales representative's territory
b
: an area that is occupied and defended by an animal or group of animals

Legal Definition

territory

noun
ter·​ri·​to·​ry ˈter-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce territory (audio)
plural territories
1
: a geographical area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority
2
: a political subdivision of a country
3
: a part of the U.S. (as Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands) not included within any state but organized with a separate legislature compare trust territory
territorial adjective
territorially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on territory

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!