patriot

[pey-tree-uht, -ot, pa-tree-uht]

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

/ 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

/ ˈpeɪtrɪət, ˌpætrɪˈɒtɪk, ˈpæt- /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of patriot¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of patriot¹

C16: via French from Late Latin patriōta, from Greek patriotēs, from patris native land; related to Greek patēr father; compare Latin pater father, patria fatherland

Example Sentences

“I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize Charlie Kirk as an American patriot and a steadfast champion for freedom of speech,” she said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As president, he revived and revitalized a network of youth clubs to train a new generation of militarized patriots.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Hong Kong has turned to tightly choreographed stage shows to deliver two of Beijing's top political messages to residents: vote for "patriots" and do not endanger national security.

Read more on Barron's

“All of us, revolutionaries and patriots, will share the same fate. Victory will belong to us all. Victory or death!”

Read more on Literature

Far-right group Britain First claimed responsibility for the incident, saying they "teamed up with local Salford patriots" to protest against the "treachery of Gary Neville".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• superpatriot