annexation
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Annexation is a specific term in international law and politics, referring to a state's permanent claim over a territory it did not previously control. Seizure is a broader term that can apply to anything from property to power, and it lacks the formal, long-term implication of annexation. Takeover is more informal and often used for companies rather than countries. Occupation carries a different legal status: it implies temporary military control pending a final settlement, whereas annexation claims permanent ownership. Conquest is an older, more dramatic word that emphasises the violence of the act rather than the legal aftermath. A country may conquer a territory in war, but it is the subsequent annexation that makes that control official under its own laws.
Common collocations
Etymology
Annexation comes from the Latin verb 'annectere' (to bind or attach), formed from 'ad-' (to) and 'nectere' (to tie, join, or connect). In English it has been used since the 1600s to describe the act of attaching territory to a larger political unit. The related verb 'annex' appeared earlier, in the 1400s, with the more general meaning of 'to attach' before narrowing to its political sense.
First known use
15th century
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1