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

His eyes were beautiful and distant, as blue as the sky in my homeland. —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

The ancestral homeland of the Wabanaki people, Acadia protects more than 47,000 acres and a remarkable mix of northern and southern species. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Paul leads the Senate panel that deals with homeland security and governmental affairs. —David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026

Supporters of the initiative, rather than presenting Switzerland as a nation in terminal decline, describe a homeland that has been rendered unrecognizable—like a landscape after a heavy snowfall—by rapid growth. —Jessi Jezewska Stevens, New Yorker, 8 June 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