territorialism

[ ter-i-tawr-ee-uh-liz-uhm, -tohr- ]

noun

1. a principle or system that gives predominance to the landed classes.
2. Also called territorial system. a theory of church policy according to which the supreme ecclesiastical authority is vested in the civil power.

territorialism

/ ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːrɪəlɪzəm /

noun

1. a social system under which the predominant force in the state is the landed class
2. a former Protestant theory that the civil government has the right to determine the religious beliefs of the subjects of a state

Derived Forms

• ˌterriˈtorialist, noun

Other Words From

• terri·tori·al·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of territorialism¹

First recorded in 1870–75; territorial + -ism

Example Sentences

He talks about movies not with a know-it-all territorialism but rather an inclusive camaraderie.

From Los Angeles Times

While some might feel a sense of territorialism over their creation, as a veteran of the blogging world, Wilson acknowledges that’s not how things work in the recipe sphere.

From Washington Post

But for reasons that are not entirely clear — classic Washington bureaucratic territorialism, the department’s unwillingness to share information or the desire to stage-manage a successful public forum — members have resisted turning over hundreds of transcripts until they are done with their work.

From New York Times

Bobby Kim, the Asian American co-owner of streetwear brand the Hundreds, remembers a run-in while surfing in Santa Monica that escalated from territorialism to racism.

From Los Angeles Times

Bobby Kim, the Asian American co-owner of streetwear brand the Hundreds, remembers a run-in while surfing in Santa Monica that escalated from territorialism to racism.

From Los Angeles Times