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 Senate homeland security committee has one of the broadest investigative jurisdictions in Congress, with instances of waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, and mismanagement across the federal government all falling within the panel’s purview. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026

But Zionism, broadly understood as the reconstitution of a thriving Jewish society in the Jews’ ancestral homeland, is integral to the identities of most Jews around the world. — Nancy Koppelman, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

When Lear disowns her, the King of France accepts Cordelia as his wife and takes her back to his homeland. — Langdon Hammer, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

For Jewish Israelis, living in Israel has always been bound with building and protecting a Jewish homeland. — Sarah Matusek, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Nov. 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