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; see re-, father, -ate ¹

Explanation

When a country repatriates people, they are usually refugees who are being sent back to their homeland, often against their wishes. It is possible for a person to repatriate himself, choosing to return to a country he's left for political or economic reasons, but the verb repatriate is more often used to mean "send refugees home." It might sound like a modern political term, but repatriate has been used since the 1600s. It comes from the Latin word repatriare, "return to one's own country," from the prefix re, "back," and patria, "native land."

Example Sentences

An American national and a French woman evacuated from the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak have tested positive, officials said Monday, as the complex operation to repatriate those on board continued.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his agency would "relentlessly target the regime's ability to generate, move and repatriate funds, and pursue anyone enabling Tehran's attempts to evade sanctions".

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen in 1911 by an Italian employee of the Louvre who wanted to repatriate the masterpiece.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

In the early 1980s, Canada was seeking to repatriate its constitution from the United Kingdom and to incorporate a Charter of Rights and Freedoms, similar to the US Bill of Rights.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

“My mother had German heritage, so Hitler allowed us to repatriate and come to Germany. I only got as far as Insterburg.”

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys