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

Australia last year agreed to pay Nauru 408 million Australian dollars ($296 million) for resettlements of up to 30 years for unwanted noncitizens who could not be deported to their homelands. —ABC News, 6 May 2026

Like Turner, Church also travelled far beyond the shores of his homeland. —Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

The result is an early, additional layer to the multi-domain, layered shield that protects the homeland and critical infrastructure from evolving missile threats, according to a press release. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026

Her inspiration comes from her homeland of Iran and her cultural identity. —Sara Donchey, CBS News, 1 May 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