vb, -nized  -niz*ing vt  1  :  to establish a colony in or on <the parasitic roundworms … have succeeded in colonizing a great variety of hosts -W.H. Dowdeswell>   2  :  to isolate in supervised groups vi , of microorganisms  :  to become established in a habitat (as a host or a wound) <these bacteria in turn in other parts of the body -R.A. Runnells>  col*o*ni*za*tion n 
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  cleanse  clo·nus  glans 
 
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