original colonies
nounUK /əˈrɪdʒ.ɪ.nəl ˈkɒl.ə.niz/
US /əˈrɪdʒ.ə.nəl ˈkɑː.lə.niz/
The first thirteen places in America that were ruled by Britain.
The original colonies were along the East Coast of America.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The earliest group of settlements set up by a country in a new land.
The original colonies of the empire were small but grew quickly.
3. The first set of places where a group of people settled together.
Historians studied the original colonies to learn how the town began.
4. The founding settlements that later became states.
Each of the original colonies sent leaders to the first meeting.