colonia

A colonia is a neighborhood or residential area, borrowed from Spanish.

In the United States, particularly along the Texas-Mexico border, colonias are unincorporated settlements often lacking basic infrastructure like paved roads, sewage systems, or clean water: Many colonias lack access to safe drinking water.

The term can also refer to a cologne or perfume in Spanish-speaking contexts. (Capitalized Colonia refers to the German city of Cologne or specific place names.)