decolonize

American  

[dee-kol-uh-nahyz] / diˈkɒl əˌnaɪz /

especially British, decolonise

verb (used with object)

decolonized, decolonizing

1. to release (a country or region) from the status of a colony, or to allow (a colony) to become self-governing or independent.

2. to reexamine and make changes in (a subject field, tradition, etc.) so as to counter the belief that the culture of a colonizing power is more worthy or important than the culture of a colonized people.

   From seed cataloguing to sustainable fishing, Indigenous people are decolonizing their diets and preserving their folkways.

   There is a movement to decolonize the curriculum, urging Western academics to change their courses to better reflect the ideas and experiences of peoples from all parts of the globe.

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verb (used without object)

decolonized, decolonizing

1. to free a colony to become self-governing or independent.

decolonize British  

/ diːˈkɒləˌnaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to grant independence to (a colony)

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Other Word Forms

• decolonization noun

Etymology

Origin of decolonize

First recorded in 1850–55; de- ( def. ) + colonize ( def. )

Example Sentences

In this new iteration, Namor, like Aquaman, becomes an Indigenous aquatic superhero who fights to decolonize the oceans and fights for a future of thriving biodiversity.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2023

And yet, trying to decolonize — to free a country from the dominating influence of a colonizing power — is an empire of work in its own right.

From New York Times • Sep. 11, 2022

In the post–World War II world, many island territories were the last to decolonize.

From Slate • May 21, 2022

“I work to decolonize and root my practice in my ancestral homelands and community. I aim to uplift my tribe’s stories, memory, and undo erasure of Indigenous knowledge and connection to our lands.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 3, 2022

His central theme was that no new African nation, trying to decolonize itself, needed any political system that would permit division and bickering.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey