blighty

American  

[blahy-tee] / ˈblaɪ ti /

noun

British Slang.

PLURAL

blighties

1. Often Blighty Britain, or specifically England, as one's home or native land.

   We're sailing for old Blighty tomorrow.

2. a wound or furlough permitting a soldier to be sent back to Britain from the front.

3. military leave.

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Blighty ¹ British  

/ ˈblaɪtɪ /

noun

1. England; home

2. 1. Also called: a blighty one.  a slight wound that causes the recipient to be sent home to England

   2. leave in England

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blighty ² British  

/ ˈblaɪtɪ /

noun

1. another name for white-eye

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Etymology

Origin of blighty

First recorded in 1885–90; from Hindi bilāyatī “the country (i.e., Great Britain),” variant of wilāyatī vilayet

Example Sentences

“It was my first time away from home with veritably just a meagre bindle on my back. I was way out of my comfort zone and flung into the deep end on the other side of the pond. I floundered but eventually found my water legs and learned to love dear ol’ Blighty.”

From Los Angeles Times

The contrast he sought to draw with a gloomy Blighty was not subtle.

From BBC

His 80,000-word account of the experience was found in an online auction won by amateur social-historian David Wilkins, who has now published it under the title Blighty or Bust.

From BBC

Not far away is an earlier housing development that is even more redolent of Blighty: Foxhall Village.

From Washington Post

Many folks come here from Blighty to break into America and give up if it doesn’t happen in a year or two.

From Los Angeles Times