Ter"ri*to*ry (?), n.;
pl. Territories (#). [L.
territorium, from terra the earth: cf. F. territoire. See Terrace.]
1. A large
extent or tract of land; a region; a country; a district.
He looked, and saw wide territory spread
Before him -- towns, and rural works between.
Milton.
2. The extent of land belonging to, or under the dominion of, a prince,
state, or other form of
government; often, a tract of land lying at
a distance from the parent country or from the seat of government; as, the territory of a State; the territories of the East India Company.
3. In the
United States, a portion of the country not included within the limits of any State,
and not yet
admitted as a State into
the Union, but organized with a separate legislature, under a Territorial governor and other officers appointed by the President and Senate of
the United States. In Canada, a similarly organized portion of the country not yet formed into a
Province.
Hear it pronounced