Origin: Latin suffix -al
Territorial has 7 different meanings across 2 categories:
nonprofessional soldier member of a territorial military unit
"Many volunteers joined the local army as part-time soldiers in their respective territorial units during the war."
a territorial military unit
"The new recruits were assigned to the local territorial military unit for weekend drills."
A non-professional member of a territorial army.
"The new recruit was assigned to the militia as a territorial soldier during the summer drills."
In plain English: A territorial person is someone who gets angry when they feel their personal space or belongings are being invaded by others.
"The dog is acting territorial because he wants to guard his garden from strangers."
of or relating to a territory
"the territorial government of the Virgin Islands"
"territorial claims made by a country"
displaying territoriality; defending a territory from intruders
"territorial behavior"
"strongly territorial birds"
Of, relating to, or restricted to a specific geographic area, or territory.
"The company's new policy is strictly territorial, allowing sales only within its designated region."
In plain English: Territorial means acting aggressively to protect an area you claim as your own from others.
"The dog became territorial and growled when he saw another animal near his bowl."
Usage: Use this adjective when describing something that is limited to or controlled by a specific geographic region. It often distinguishes local jurisdiction from broader national authority in contexts like law enforcement or military organization.
The word territorial comes from the Late Latin territorialis, which was derived from the Latin noun territorium. It entered English as a direct adaptation of the root word "territory" with the addition of the suffix "-al.