Definition of motherlandnext
1
as in birthplace
a place of origin for many oenophiles, France remains the motherland of fine wines

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2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship all his life he longed to return to his motherland

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of motherland Fitzgerald, who hopes she may still be recognized after the Constitutional Court hearing, has been studying Italian for three years and can relate to feeling a link to the motherland. Terry Ward 22 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026 Fatherland implied heritage and tradition, while motherland suggests place of birth and sense of belonging. Melinda Laituri, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026 Despite a 1689 treaty that placed the Sino-Russian boundary some seven hundred kilometers north of the Amur River, the unequal treaties of 1858 and 1860 drew the Russians right to the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, the edge of the Qing motherland. Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025 Irie Nights invites the city out to dance, eat, and enjoy the best sounds from the islands to the motherland. Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for motherland
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motherland
Noun
  • The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Mütter Museum are celebrating the United States' 250th birthday with a series of exhibits showcasing the birthplace of American medicine.
    Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Don’t leave without a muffuletta sandwich from Central Grocery, the sandwich’s birthplace and a NOLA original since 1906.
    Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Nets closed their 2025-26 home schedule Thursday night at Barclays Center with a 123-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers, a game that looked and felt like two teams protecting lottery position.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • According to prosecutors, Schooley had connections to Persia’s family, including performing construction work at her stepfather’s home and a business associated with him.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • If accurate, those findings might hint that the shroud is indeed from the Levant, an area considered to have been the cradle of Christianity and the setting of both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Freemasons in the cradle of liberty Philadelphia was the country’s political center during the American Revolution, which began in 1775.
    Derek Arnold, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Perhaps as a result, various European countries had introduced academic programs in the new field of music geragogy—the study of music-learning in old age.
    Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Plus, targets in countries where people generally make lower incomes may be less likely to turn down job offers.
    Jessica Klein, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Revisiting her homeland means confronting a lifelong sense of displacement.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
  • This position was reaffirmed again in 1919 when a delegation of the Zionist Organization, led by Chaim Weizmann, presented the case of a Jewish homeland in Palestine at the Paris Peace Conference that concluded World War I.
    Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Motherland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motherland. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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