protectorate

Everyday

1. A country or area that is controlled and protected by a stronger country, while keeping some of its own rulers: «Brunei was a British protectorate.» tree →
2. The relationship of such protection and control. tree →
3. (history, UK) The Protectorate: the time from 1653 to 1659 when Oliver Cromwell and then his son ruled England, Scotland and Ireland as «Lord Protector». tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons it comes up with empires: Britain, France and other powers ran protectorates in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Phrases: «a British protectorate», «become a protectorate», «the Protectorate».

Examples

• Many countries in Africa were once protectorates of European powers. tree →
• The Solomon Islands were a British protectorate until independence. tree →
• Oliver Cromwell ruled during the Protectorate. tree →
• A protectorate keeps its own leader but a stronger country controls its defence. tree →
• The island became a protectorate after the treaty. tree →
• Our history topic compared colonies and protectorates. tree →

Note

Countable: protectorate, protectorates; capital P for Cromwell's Protectorate. Related: protector, protect. A protectorate is not the same as a colony, though in practice the stronger country often held the real power.