Imperialization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of extending a nation's sovereignty over other lands by establishing control through political or military means; the act of spreading or imposing an empire's influence or authority on foreign territories; the historical or political practice of empire-building by dominant powers
2. The enactment of exerting power and dominance by a sovereign state over other regions to form an empire; the spread of a ruling nation's culture, governance, or economy to subordinate areas; the strategic occupation and administration endorsed by an imperial entity
3. The procedure in which a state expands its dominion beyond its original borders by subjugating other nations; the adaptation or enforcement of imperial governance and policies onto newly acquired lands; the broad activity associated with the formation and maintenance of empire control and influence over diverse territories

Etymology: "Imperialization" is built from "imperial" and the suffix "-ization," which turns an adjective into a noun for the process of making something conform to a condition or system. "Imperial" comes from Latin "imperialis," meaning "of a commander or emperor," itself from "imperium," the power to command. Adding "-ization" to a base describes the act of bringing something under that condition, so "imperialization" names the process by which a state or people is brought under imperial rule or made to take on imperial character. The word is a transparent formation in English, assembled from familiar parts rather than borrowed whole. Its meaning follows the pattern of "-ization" words such as "colonization" or "industrialization," where the process is the focus rather than a single event. In practice it usually describes the gradual extension of an empire's control over other territories, through conquest, annexation, or the expansion of dominance.

Synonyms: imperialism, colonization, domination

Antonyms: decolonization, independence