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Glite Dictionary
🐙 Not in groups 🏛️ Not about colonies
noncolonial

noncolonial

6.7
Made of single animals or cells that live alone rather than in groups
  • adjective
  • /nɒn.kəˈloʊ.ni.əl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no colonial
  • Many species of plants are noncolonial, growing independently rather than in large clusters.

Examples

  • Each animal in the ecosystem is noncolonial, living and feeding separately from the others.

  • The noncolonial nature of these organisms allows them to thrive in diverse environments.

  • It is clear, though, that through the actions of individual, noncolonial settlers, "what could be" becomes reality.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

nonsocial
vsnoncolonial
  • Specialized
7.3

Not living in groups or colonies

emphasizes absence of colony formation rather than social interaction
nongregarious
vsnoncolonial
9.9

Not living or growing in groups

highlights specifically not forming colonies rather than general solitude
noncommunal
vsnoncolonial
7.1

Only one person or group uses it

applies to organisms being separate individuals rather than private sharing

Antonyms

colonial
106 4.9

From the time when one country controlled another

Surface Forms

noncolonial positive

Morphology

noncolonial = colonial (transparent) = non + colonial

Direct negation of 'colonial' in the biological sense; learners who know 'colonial' and the prefix 'non-' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Noncolonial starts with non- ('not') and the part colonial, which comes from colony meaning 'a group' or 'settlement' — think of ants or bees living together in a colony. So noncolonial means 'not living in a colony', used for animals or organisms that live alone rather than in a group.