anti-colonial
UK[ˌænti kəˈləʊniəl]US[ˌænti kəˈloʊniəl]
adj
Opposed to or directed against colonialism or colonial rule.
Morpheme Breakdown
anti
colonial
anti
against
colonial
relating to colonies
Etymology
The term is a modern political compound, formed in the 20th century during global decolonization movements. The prefix 'anti-', of Greek origin, has been a productive element in English since the 17th century for forming words denoting opposition. It is attached to 'colonial', an adjective derived from the Latin 'colonia', which originally referred to a settled estate or farm, later evolving to mean a settlement of citizens in a conquered territory. Thus, the word's literal construction, 'against-colonial', directly and logically conveys its modern abstract meaning of opposing the political and economic control of one nation over another.
Analysis
Structure: anti (against) + colonial (relating to colonies)
- anti: From Greek, via Latin. A prefix meaning 'against', 'opposite of', or 'preventing'.
- colonial: From Latin 'colonia' (settlement, farm) via 'colonialis'. The suffix '-al' forms an adjective meaning 'of or pertaining to'.
Examples
The movement gained momentum with strong anti-colonial rhetoric.
He wrote extensively about anti-colonial struggles in Africa and Asia.
The treaty was seen as a victory for anti-colonial forces.