repatriate

[ree-pey-tree-eyt, ree-pey-tree-it]

verb (used with object)

repatriated, repatriating 

1. to bring or send back (a person, especially a prisoner of war, a refugee, etc.) to their country or land of citizenship.

2. to send (profits or other assets) back to one's own country.

3. to restore to a country that has attained sovereignty something that was formerly held or administered on that country’s behalf by a colonial power.

   In 1982, the Trudeau government repatriated Canada's constitution from Britain.

verb (used without object)

repatriated, repatriating 

1. to return to one's own country.

   to repatriate after 20 years abroad.

noun

1. a person who has been repatriated.

repatriate

verb

1. to send back (a refugee, prisoner of war, etc) to the country of his birth or citizenship

2. to send back (a sum of money previously invested abroad) to its country of origin

noun

1. a person who has been repatriated

Other Word Forms

• repatriable adjective
• repatriation noun
• nonrepatriable adjective
• unrepatriated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of repatriate¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin repatriātus (past participle of repatriāre “to return to one's fatherland”), equivalent to Latin re- “again, back” + patri(a) “native country” (noun use of feminine of patrius “paternal,” derivative of pater “father”) + -ātus past participle suffix; re-, father, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of repatriate¹

C17: from Late Latin repatriāre from Latin _re- + patria fatherland; compare _repair ²

Example Sentences

He has set up online petitions – attracting hundreds of thousands of signatures – calling for all three items to be repatriated.

Read more on BBC

The U.S. policy change is a golden opportunity for other countries to repatriate or attract superstar talent.

Read more on MarketWatch

And he wants to help U.S. organizations build resources for other immigrants who are considering repatriating.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

India was to repatriate 500 of its citizens from Thailand after a crackdown on a Myanmar scam hub led to workers fleeing over the border, the Thai prime minister said Wednesday.

Read more on Barron's

This is the third survivor of a U.S. strike, after a Colombian and an Ecuadorean were rescued and repatriated to their homelands earlier this month.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal