patriot

American  

[pey-tree-uht, -ot, pa-tree-uht] / ˈpeɪ tri ət, -ˌɒt, ˈpæ tri ət /

noun

1. a person who loves, supports, and defends their country and its interests with devotion.

2. a person who values individual rights, especially one who attempts to defend those rights against presumed interference by the federal government.

3. Military. Patriot, a U.S. Army antiaircraft missile with a range of 37 miles (60 kilometers) and a 200-pound (90-kilogram) warhead, launched from a tracked vehicle with radar and computer guidance and fire control.

---

Patriot ¹ British  

/ ˈpeɪtrɪət /

noun

1. a US surface-to-air missile system with multiple launch stations and the capability to track multiple targets by radar

---

patriot ² British  

/ ˈpeɪtrɪət, ˌpætrɪˈɒtɪk, ˈpæt- /

noun

1. a person who vigorously supports his country and its way of life

---

Other Word Forms

• antipatriot noun
• patriotic adjective
• patriotically adverb
• semipatriot noun

Etymology

Origin of patriot

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French patriote, from Late Latin patriōta, from Greek patriṓtēs “fellow-countryman, lineage member (in the paternal line)”

Compare meaning

How does patriot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• patriot vs. loyalist

Example Sentences

Just as not every Christian ought to become a priest, not every patriot has to wear a military uniform.

From The Wall Street Journal

The writer Thomas Mann, “a conservative and a patriot,” chose exile, becoming a scathing critic of those who didn’t do likewise.

From The Wall Street Journal

The debate over the U.S. military magazine depth has so far been the niche concern of a few patriots spread across government, Congress and think tanks.

From The Wall Street Journal

In San Francisco, Anthropic fans wielded brightly colored sidewalk chalk to ornament the pavement outside of the company’s office with messages of thanks, laudatories such as “You are patriots” and references to Nelson Mandela.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back your country,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• superpatriot