expatriate

1 of 3

verb

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt 

expatriated; expatriating

transitive verb

1

: banish, exile

2

: to withdraw (oneself) from residence in or allegiance to one's native country

intransitive verb

: to leave one's native country to live elsewhere

also : to renounce allegiance to one's native country

expatriate

2 of 3

adjective

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ət  -trē-ˌāt 

: living in a foreign land

expatriate

3 of 3

noun

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ət  -trē-ˌāt 

: a person who lives in a foreign country

Hemingway himself in The Sun Also Rises, 1926, had given the picture of the dislocated life of young English and American expatriates in the bars of Paris, the "lost generation," as Gertrude Stein defined them.

—Robert Penn Warren

Synonyms of expatriate

Verb

• exile
• banish

Noun

• refugee

Examples of expatriate in a Sentence

Verb

members of the deposed dictator's once-feared political party were expatriated as well

Noun

while in exile, the deposed king was accompanied by a small band of loyal expatriates

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

However, the Iran conflict poses a longer-term threat to Dubai’s appeal to expatriate workers and firms looking to establish operations in the region which could deflate the real estate market. —Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 1 June 2026

This would be particularly true of a state-level wealth tax, since expatriating from one’s country is far more difficult than moving across state lines. —Jared Walczak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Wolter, as quixotic expatriate Russian Countess Lily, channels peak era Carol Burnett in this raucous comedy duet. —Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 June 2026

His post oversees seven Western states and one of the largest Israeli expatriate populations in the world. —Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026

Noun

Supporters of the initiative dislike an influx of expatriates from the neighboring European Union, and say Swiss infrastructure, housing, social programs, natural resources and way of life have been strained under demographic growth. —Jamey Keaten, Fortune, 10 June 2026

The expatriate has mixed feelings about the World Cup and his homeland’s team. —Pat Maio, Daily News, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Medieval Latin expatriatus, past participle of expatriare to leave one's own country, from Latin ex- + patria native country, from feminine of patrius of a father, from patr-, pater father — more at father

First Known Use

Verb

1768, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1812, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1818, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for expatriate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

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Kids Definition

expatriate

1 of 3 verb

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt 

expatriated; expatriating

: exile entry 2

expatriation

(ˌ)ek-ˌspā-trē-ˈā-shən 

noun

expatriate

2 of 3 adjective

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt 

-trē-ət

: living in a foreign country

expatriate

3 of 3 noun

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate

ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt, 

-trē-ət

: a person living in a foreign country

especially : one who has renounced his or her native country

Legal Definition

expatriate

verb

ex·​pa·​tri·​ate ek-ˈspā-trē-ˌāt 

expatriated; expatriating

transitive verb

: to voluntarily withdraw (oneself) from allegiance to one's native country

intransitive verb

: to renounce allegiance to one's country and abandon one's nationality voluntarily

expatriate

-trē-ət

noun

expatriation

ek-ˌspā-trē-ˈā-shən 

noun