Skip to content

colonialismo

colonialism

noun koh-loh-nyah-LEES-moh Rare

Usage Note

Colonialismo refers to the political and economic domination of one nation over others, mirroring English 'colonialism'. The adjective is coloniale and the related noun colonizzazione ('colonization'). Italy had colonies in Africa (Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia) so the term carries specific historical weight in Italian discourse.

Examples

"Il colonialismo ha lasciato profonde cicatrici storiche."

Natural Translation

Colonialism left deep historical scars.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Italian by topic