recolonization

noun

re·​col·​o·​ni·​za·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˈkä-də-ˌfī 

plural recolonizations

: the colonization of a previously colonized region or habitat: such as

a

: the act of re-establishing colonies in or on an area

Mr. Sumter has very fully disclosed the real views of the British government and their longings for the recolonization of the Spanish and Portuguese possessions in America.

—John Quincy Adams

b

: the repopulation of a habitat by a previously colonizing species

The recolonization of the Soda Mountains by bighorn sheep shows how important these natural connections are and how resilient nature can be when given a chance.

—Thomas E. Lovejoy and Edward O. Wilson

The persistent antimicrobial effectiveness is a quantitative measurement of a product's ability to prevent microbial recolonization of the skin surfaces …

—Daryl S. Paulson

Examples of recolonization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even after Chinese tallow has been controlled in these areas, there remains a continual threat of recolonization and future risk to these natural resources. —Dennis Pillion | [e-mail], al, 8 May 2022

On the sixth, more distant islet, recolonization took longer, and the eventual number of resident species was lower—more confirmation. —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021

One is an über powerful antibiotic (that wipes out good and bad bacteria alike, making the gut vulnerable to recolonization by friend or foe). —Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2013

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above