homeland

noun

home·​land ˈhōm-ˌland 

also -lənd

plural homelands

1

: the native land or country of one's parents, one's ancestors, or oneself

our ancestral homeland

hadn't seen their homeland since they were children

2

: a state or area designated as a state for a people of a particular national, cultural, or racial origin

They are fighting for an independent homeland.

the U.S. Department of Homeland Security [=a department in the U.S. government that is responsible for the safety of the U.S. and its citizens]

specifically, in South African history : any of several all-Black enclaves that had a limited degree of self-government : bantustan

Synonyms of homeland

• home
• country

Examples of homeland in a Sentence

He returned to his homeland for the first time in many years.

The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are always a lot of threats facing the homeland. —CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025

While several studies have measured the economic benefit of the residency to Puerto Rico, with a focus on the spending of individuals who traveled there for the concerts, the full cultural and economic impact of the residency on Bad Bunny’s homeland goes far beyond those dollar amounts. —Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025

But Sohn’s naval nativity 75 years ago was also the start of a life searching for those left behind, trying to reassemble yet another Korean family torn apart along with their homeland. —Gawon Bae, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025

Each country's designation can last six to 18 months at the discretion of the secretary of homeland security. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for homeland

• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland
• motherland

Kids Definition

homeland

noun

home·​land ˈhōm-ˌland 

: native land : fatherland