repatriation
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of repatriation
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin repatriation-, stem of repatriatio “a returning to one's fatherland,” equivalent to repatriāt-, stem of repatriāre + Latin -iō -ion ( def. ); repatriate ( def. )
Explanation
Repatriation is the act of returning to your own country. If you’ve been living in another country since you were two, and you are now thirty-five, repatriation may be more complicated. In Latin, the prefix re- signifies a return of some kind, and patria is another way of saying a person's native land. Repatriation generally refers to a person who has either forcibly or voluntarily left his own country and is now returning. It can also refer to the return of important objects, like historical artifacts, to their country of origin. If you're a patriotic person, then repatriation is important to you, especially for significant people or objects!
Vocabulary lists containing repatriation
Not Your Father's Word List: Pater, Patr
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Human Geography - Middle School
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Farewell to Manzanar
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fazil Omar Rahmani, the provincial head of the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, said there were plans to expand the water supply network.
From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026
A spokesperson from the Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation told the BBC that more than 918,000 Afghans entered Afghanistan from Iran between 22 June - 22 July.
From BBC • Jul. 31, 2025
Repatriation hit all levels of society, but the poorest were the most vulnerable.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2024
His remains must be repatriated through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the federal law regulating the return of Native American ancestral remains and funerary objects, she said.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2024
The Land Board was created in October, with two branches concerned respectively with Settlement and Repatriation.
From Lord Milner's Work in South Africa From its Commencement in 1897 to the Peace of Vereeniging in 1902 by Worsfold, W. Basil (William Basil)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
