Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To free (a colony) from dependent status.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb to grant independence to (a former colony).
  • intransitive verb to release one's colonies and free them to become independednt nations; -- of nations.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb to release from the status of colony
  • verb to allow a colony to become independent

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb grant independence to (a former colony)

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • The new constitution seeks to give the central government greater control over natural resources and "decolonize" the country by redistributing wealth and recognizing new rights for Bolivia's majority indigenous population.

    Bolivians Projected to Approve New Constitution 2009

  • As one pure-bred Marxist at the public university described it to me, Bolivia has to "decolonize" from the imperialist powers.

    Nathaniel Loewentheil: A Ballot of Bolivian Identity: Today's Presidential Election 2009

  • Morales built his campaign on promises to nationalize natural resources and "decolonize" the economy, code words for rolling back the rules of gringo-sponsored capitalism.

    Calculated Contradictions 2007

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community 2009

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community 2009

  • An official vote count will be announced Feb. Morales says the charter would "decolonize" Bolivia by championing indigenous values lost since the Spanish conquest.

    Top Stories - Google News 2009

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    Latest Headlines - ABC 7 News 2009

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community 2009

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    Latest Headlines - ABC 7 News 2009

  • Bolivia's first Indian president says the charter will "decolonize" South America's poorest country, undoing the influence of its Spanish conquerers.

    Latest Headlines - ABC 7 News 2009

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