imperialism

C1 Topic:Politics & International Affairs

US /ɪmˈpɪr.i.ə.lɪ.zəm/ UK /ɪmˈpɪə.ri.ə.lɪ.zəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #24611

Meanings

1

noun
the policy or practice of extending a state's power over other territories through conquest, colonization, or political and economic control

The historian traced how imperialism reshaped borders and trade across the region.
2

noun
the ideology that supports or justifies the creation and maintenance of an empire

The pamphlet attacked imperialism as a denial of national self-determination.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the policy or practice of... colonialism expansionismempire-building

2 noun · the ideology that supports... imperial doctrineexpansionism

Opposites

anti-imperialismdecolonizationself-determination

Word family

Forms imperialistic

Derived forms imperialistimperialisticanti-imperialism

Related forms empire colonialism hegemony annexation

Etymology

Formed in the nineteenth century from imperial + -ism. Imperial came through Old French from Latin imperialis, based on imperium, 'command, authority, or empire.' The term moved from describing imperial government to naming policies and ideologies of territorial, political, or economic domination.

Topics

Politics & International Affairs

External links

# imperialism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpɪr.i.ə.lɪ.zəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈpɪə.ri.ə.lɪ.zəm/
**Frequency rank:** 24611

## Meanings
1. the policy or practice of extending a state's power over other territories through conquest, colonization, or political and economic control
2. the ideology that supports or justifies the creation and maintenance of an empire

## Examples
- The historian traced how imperialism reshaped borders and trade across the region.
- The pamphlet attacked imperialism as a denial of national self-determination.

## Synonyms
- colonialism
- expansionism
- empire-building

## Antonyms
- anti-imperialism
- decolonization
- self-determination

## Derived Forms
- imperialist
- imperialistic
- anti-imperialism

## Related Forms
- empire
- colonialism
- hegemony
- annexation

## Etymology
Formed in the nineteenth century from imperial + -ism. Imperial came through Old French from Latin imperialis, based on imperium, 'command, authority, or empire.' The term moved from describing imperial government to naming policies and ideologies of territorial, political, or economic domination.

## Topics
- Politics & International Affairs

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