WordGarden.ioexpatriate
C1Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ɛkˈspeɪtriˌeɪt/
Meanings
Noun
a person who lives outside their native country
Adjective
living outside one's native country or connected with such people
Verb
to leave, renounce, or be forced from one's native country or citizenship
Beyond the definition
Imagine a talented chef leaving France to open a restaurant in New York City. That chef is an expatriate. The word "expatriate" comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (fatherland). It once often described someone who had left their homeland. Today, it usually means a person living outside their home country, whether for work, adventure, family, or personal choice.
People sometimes use it in a way that suggests the person still feels closely tied to their home country and may return one day. You might read about British expatriates in Spain enjoying retirement, or American expatriates working as teachers in Japan. The word is also common for workers sent abroad by a company or for people spending a long period living in another country without fully settling there forever.
An expatriate is a person who lives outside their native country. While the term historically carried connotations of political exile or voluntary abandonment of one's homeland, it now broadly encompasses anyone residing in a foreign country, often for work, study, or lifestyle reasons.
The difference between "expatriate" and "immigrant" is not always strict, but it often depends on context, intention, and point of view. "Immigrant" is usually used for someone who has come to a country to live there, often for the long term. "Expatriate" is often used when the focus stays on the person's home country, temporary stay, overseas job, or lifestyle abroad.
The term is frequently used in business contexts to describe employees sent by multinational corporations to work in foreign offices ("expats"). It can also refer to retirees choosing to live abroad, digital nomads working remotely from different countries, or individuals seeking a new experience and lifestyle.
You might read about "a growing community of American expatriates in Southeast Asia," or hear someone say, "She's an expatriate teacher living in Dubai." The word can carry a certain nuance, sometimes suggesting professional opportunity, choice, or financial comfort, but that is not always the case. The experience of living abroad is diverse and can vary greatly depending on a person's situation, reason for moving, and relationship with both countries.
Examples
- 1
Work relocation
After moving to Dubai for work, he spent his first year adjusting to life as an expatriate.
- 2
Community
The city has a large expatriate community, so she quickly met people from her own country.
- Phraseexpatriate community
people from other countries living in a place
- 3
Employee support
The company provides language classes and housing advice for expatriate employees.
- 4
Retirement
Many retired British expatriates have settled along the Spanish coast.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Life abroad
As an expatriate in Tokyo, she missed the ease of speaking her own language every day.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- expatriatenounverb
Forms
- expatriatespluralnounverb
- expatriatedpast tenseverbnoun
- expatriating-ing formverbnoun