expatriate

American  

[eks-pey-tree-eyt, -pa-tree-, eks-pey-tree-it, -eyt, -pa-tree-] / ɛksˈpeɪ triˌeɪt, -ˈpæ tri-, ɛksˈpeɪ tri ɪt, -ˌeɪt, -ˈpæ tri- /

verb (used with object)

expatriated, expatriating

1. to banish (a person) from their native country.

2. to withdraw (oneself ) from residence in one's native country.

3. to withdraw (oneself ) from allegiance to one's country.

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verb (used without object)

expatriated, expatriating

1. to become an expatriate.

   He expatriated from his homeland.

adjective

1. expatriated; exiled.

noun

1. an expatriated person.

   Many American writers were living as expatriates in Paris.

expatriate British  

adjective

1. resident in a foreign country

2. exiled or banished from one's native country

   an expatriate American

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noun

1. a person who lives in a foreign country

2. an exile; expatriate person

verb

1. to exile (oneself) from one's native country or cause (another) to go into exile

2. to deprive (oneself or another) of citizenship

Usage

What does expatriate mean? An expatriate is 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 people who have been forced to live in another country (such as due to having been exiled or banished), but it most commonly refers to people who have chosen to relocate to work in the new country or to retire there. Expatriates 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 expatriate sounds like it has just about the same meaning as the word immigrant, that’s because it does. But expatriate 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 expatriate is especially applied to Westerners and used by them to refer to themselves. A common and informal short form is expat. The act or process of becoming an expatriate is called expatriation. The word expatriate is commonly preceded by the person’s original nationality, as in an American expatriate in Paris. Expatriate can also be used as a verb meaning to withdraw one’s residence in or allegiance to their native country, or to banish a citizen. When expatriate is used as a verb, the last syllable is pronounced like ate [ eyt ]. Expatriate can also be used as an adjective describing a person who has become an expatriate or a person who has been exiled. Example: The city has such a large community of British expatriates that there are multiple pubs that serve as popular social spots for them.

Other Word Forms

• expatriation noun
• self-expatriation noun

Etymology

Origin of expatriate

First recorded in 1760–70; from Medieval Latin expatriātus (past participle of expatriāre “to banish”), equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + patri(a) “native land” + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

An expatriate is someone who lives in another country by choice. If you leave your split-level ranch in Ohio and move to a writers' commune in Paris for good, you've become an expatriate. Expatriate can also be a verb, so that American in Paris has expatriated. There was a scene of expatriates, or expats, living in Paris in the roaring '20s that included writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein. The word used to mean to get kicked out of your native country — it's from the French word expatrier which means "banish." The prefix ex means "out of" and the Latin patria "one's native country," but the word took a turn and now refers to people who left without getting shoved out.

Example Sentences

Evidence is mounting that the draw of expatriate life extends beyond the cost of living.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The embassy in Tehran usually counts around 30 expatriate employees, as well as a few dozen local staff members.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Then there’s the lonely, disaffected expatriate bachelor on the hunt for a quiet, traditional wife.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2025

Some members of the Japanese expatriate community in China have told the BBC they are worried about their children's safety.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2024

As a former trading colony, South Africa has always had a large expatriate community.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Related Words

• emigrant
• expat
• émigré