repatriation

American  

[ree-pay-tree-ay-shuhn] / riˌpeɪ triˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of returning a person or thing to the country of origin.

   If conditions allow, refugees can be offered the option of voluntary repatriation rather than resettlement in countries offering asylum.

   Museums are increasingly facing pressure from formerly colonized countries seeking repatriation of their priceless antiquities.

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Other Word Forms

• nonrepatriation
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of repatriation

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin repatriation-, stem of repatriatio “a returning to one's fatherland,” equivalent to repatriāt-, stem of repatriāre + Latin -iō -ion ( def. ); repatriate ( def. )

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Explanation

Repatriation is the act of returning to your own country. If you’ve been living in another country since you were two, and you are now thirty-five, repatriation may be more complicated. In Latin, the prefix re- signifies a return of some kind, and patria is another way of saying a person's native land. Repatriation generally refers to a person who has either forcibly or voluntarily left his own country and is now returning. It can also refer to the return of important objects, like historical artifacts, to their country of origin. If you're a patriotic person, then repatriation is important to you, especially for significant people or objects!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

repatriation

To carry out the repatriation plan, he has welcomed Min Aung Hlaing -- previously shunned and credited with ordering the 2017 crackdown that sent legions of Rohingya fleeing to Malaysia in the first place.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Nearly 1,500 Myanmar migrants from Malaysia arrived in their war-torn home country on Sunday, a Myanmar Navy official said, returned under an opaque repatriation scheme.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

The Flydubai flight eventually landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and the passengers were later taken to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on a repatriation aircraft.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Neither Malaysia nor Myanmar have explained how these formidable obstacles can be overcome, nor how their planned repatriation can be consistent with humanitarian principles.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

In the evenings she reads while Etienne makes phone calls, petitions repatriation authorities, and writes letters.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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