Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - colony

~ n 1 a country or area that is under the political control of a more powerful country, usually one that is far away  (Algeria was formerly a French colony.)  (- see also crown colony, dominion (3), protectorate) 2 a group of people who live in a colony 3 one of the 13 areas of land on the east coast of North America that later became the United States  (Connecticut was one of the original colonies.) 4 a particular group of people or the place where they live  (an artists' colony | a leper colony) 5 a group of animals or plants of the same type that are living or growing together  (Breeding colonies of rare birds were threatened by the oil spill.)