settlement meaning and definition

SETTLEMENT noun

Definition of settlement (noun)

1. a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
   • "the American colony in Paris"
   • synonyms: colony
2. a community of people smaller than a town
   • synonyms: small town, village
3. a conclusive resolution of a matter and disposition of it
4. the act of colonizing; the establishment of colonies
   • "the British colonization of America"
   • synonyms: colonisation, colonization
5. something settled or resolved; the outcome of decision making
   • "they finally reached a settlement with the union"; "they never did achieve a final resolution of their differences"; "he needed to grieve before he could achieve a sense of closure"
   • synonyms: closure, resolution
6. an area where a group of families live together
7. termination of a business operation by using its assets to discharge its liabilities
   • synonyms: liquidation