returnee

American

[ri-tur-nee, -tur-nee] / rɪ tɜrˈni, -ˈtɜr ni /

noun

a person who has returned, as from travels or a long absence.
a person returning from overseas duty in the armed forces.

returnee British

/ rɪˈtɜːˌniː /

noun

a person who returns to his native country, esp after war service

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of returnee

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; return + -ee

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

returnee

Kiffin, who has since added another NFL returnee, wasn’t the only coach to go this route.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Wielding her phone and charger, Rachida Mamakh, 48, eyes red from tears, questioned every returnee for news of her 23-year-old son Zouhair.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Combined with returnee Troy Wilson, the Bulldogs will have more offensive power.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2025

There was a stark difference one young returnee told the BBC between the "rosy picture" immigration agents painted and the rough reality of immigrant life in Toronto and Vancouver.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2024

He had been deported from England, after all, so perhaps he would not consider himself a returnee like them.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023