repatriate

American  

[ree-pey-tree-eyt, ree-pey-tree-it] / riˈpeɪ triˌeɪt, riˈpeɪ tri ɪt /

verb (used with object)

repatriated, repatriating

1. to bring or send back (a person, especially a prisoner of war, a refugee, etc.) to their country or land of citizenship.

2. to send (profits or other assets) back to one's own country.

3. to restore to a country that has attained sovereignty something that was formerly held or administered on that country’s behalf by a colonial power.

   In 1982, the Trudeau government repatriated Canada's constitution from Britain.

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verb (used without object)

repatriated, repatriating

1. to return to one's own country.

   to repatriate after 20 years abroad.

noun

1. a person who has been repatriated.

repatriate British  

verb

1. to send back (a refugee, prisoner of war, etc) to the country of his birth or citizenship

2. to send back (a sum of money previously invested abroad) to its country of origin

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noun

1. a person who has been repatriated

Other Word Forms

• nonrepatriable adjective
• repatriable adjective
• repatriation noun
• unrepatriated adjective

Etymology

Origin of repatriate

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin repatriātus (past participle of repatriāre “to return to one's fatherland”), equivalent to Latin re- “again, back” + patri(a) “native country” (noun use of feminine of patrius “paternal,” derivative of pater “father”) + -ātus past participle suffix; re-, father, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

“Around $3.4 trillion circulates in global markets from Japanese investors seeking higher returns abroad—capital that could simply be repatriated as domestic yields rise.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This sparked a bitter legal row with his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, who wanted to repatriate the body for a state funeral against the family's wishes.

From BBC

The population has dropped as detainees have been released or repatriated to their home countries, particularly Iraq.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was typical for many Venezuelans to be released with permission to stay temporarily because they could not be repatriated back to their country due to strained diplomatic relations.

From New York Times

Hamrouni hopes the film’s high profile will boost her advocacy for her daughters to be repatriated from Libya, where they had been sentenced to prison, and stand trial in their home country.

From Seattle Times