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

The narrow fertile strip that formed the Phoenician cities’ homeland runs about 200km north-south along the coast. —Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026

Stephen Miller is a MAGA firebrand who in his formal capacity, as deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser, shouldn’t play any role in foreign policy. —Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

About 26 years ago, Iran’s biggest female pop star left her homeland to tour internationally after years of being banned from publicly performing by the theocratic regime. —Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026

Sharif, now an old man (played by Mohammad Bakri), lives with them, his memory addled yet returning obsessively to the loss of his homeland. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026

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