late 14c., "land under the jurisdiction of a town, state, etc.," probably from Latin territorium "land around a town, domain, district," from terra "earth, land" (see terrain) + -orium, suffix denoting place (see -ory). Sense of "any tract of land, district, region" is first attested c. 1600. Specific U.S. sense of "organized self-governing region not yet a state" is from 1799. Of regions defended by animals from 1774.
"Since -torium is a productive suffix only after verbal stems, the rise of terri-torium is unexplained" [Michiel de Vaan, "Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages"]. An alternative theory, somewhat supported by the vowels of the original Latin word, suggests derivation from terrere "to frighten" (see terrible); thus territorium would mean "a place from which people are warned off."
雙語例句
1. The best thing to do when entering unknown territory is smile.
踏入未知地帶最好的對策就是微笑。
來自美劇《凱莉日記》
2. We are prepared to fight for every inch of territory.
我們時刻準備著為每一寸領土而戰。
來自柯林斯例句
3. The new territory would extend over one-fifth of Canada's land mass.
這塊新領土將會使加拿大陸地面積擴展1/5以上。
來自柯林斯例句
4. On May 1st the army took over another swathe of territory.
軍隊在5月1號又接管了另一長條領土。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Rival claims to Macedonian territory caused conflict in the Balkans.