expat
Americannoun
-
expats
plural
noun
Usage
What does expat mean? Expat is short for expatriate—a person who has moved from their native country to another country permanently or for an extended period of time. The word expatriate can refer to a person who has been forced to live in another country (such as due to having been exiled or banished), but it most commonly refers to someone who has chosen to relocate to work in the new country or to retire there. Expats may or may not become citizens of the countries they move to, and they may or may not retain their original citizenship. If the word expat sounds like it has just about the same meaning as the word immigrant, that’s because it does. But expat is used much more narrowly. It can imply (or is at least associated with) a certain amount of wealth and privilege—things not implied by or associated with the word immigrant. The word expat is especially applied to Westerners and used by them to refer to themselves. The word expat is commonly preceded by the person’s original nationality, as in an American expat in Paris. The word expatriate can also be used as a verb and an adjective, but expat is typically used as a noun (though it functions as an adjective in common phrases like expat community). Example: The city has such a large community of British expats that there are multiple pubs that serve as popular social spots for them.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of expat
First recorded in 1960–65; by shortening
Explanation
You're an expat if you live in a country other than the one in which you were born and raised. Some expats are sent by their companies to work in foreign countries. If your grandparents retire and buy a house in Mexico near the beach, they're expats. The word is a shortened form of expatriate, and it generally refers to anyone who has chosen to live away from their native home country, either temporarily or permanently. Expatriate comes from the Latin roots ex-, "away from," and patria, "one's native country." It first meant "one who is banished," and later "one who chooses to live abroad."
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.
See Examples For:
Janaline Smalman, an expat therapist and founder of Healing Art Journey, said it’s common for people who move abroad to struggle with unexpected, challenging emotions for a variety of reasons.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
"I wasn't interested in keeping up with a certain expat lifestyle," says Minkley.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Bonda also volunteered at a mobile library project started by expat Debra Blake and Carol Woodruff, who splits time between Southern California and Baja.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
Even if an expat owes no tax due to credits, a U.S. return must still be filed, and specialized accountant fees can turn this into a complex and expensive obligation.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
Down the corridor was a tall, brown-haired, brown-eyed Swiss/German expat named Robert.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
In the 1930s and 1940s, postrevolutionary Mexico emerged as both an incubator of modern art and haven for European refugees, political exiles and other expats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Many British expats in the village of Bedar have criticised the lack of a mobile phone alert - but Malcolm did not want to apportion blame.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
But what you might really want is to be around other expats to get a level of comfort and connect with people like you.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
While living in another country does not require renouncing U.S. citizenship, each year several thousand expats take that drastic step.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
I started by reaching out to some of his old connections, German expats in Johannesburg, a woman who used to date one of his friends who knew somebody who knew the last place he stayed.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
