repatriation

UK: /ˌriːpætriˈeɪʃ^ən/ US: /riˌpeɪtriˈeɪʃən/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•pa•tri•ate /v. riˈpeɪtriˌeɪt; n. -ɪt;
esp. Brit. -ˈpæ-/   v., -at•ed, -at•ing, n. 
v. 

1. [~ + object] to send back (a prisoner of war, a refugee, etc.) to his or her country.
2. [~ + object] to send back (profits or other assets) to one's own country.
3. [no object] to return to one's own country, esp. after living abroad.

n. [countable]

4. a person who has been repatriated.

re•pa•tri•a•tion /riˌpeɪtriˈeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable] See -patr-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•pa•tri•ate  (v. rē pā′trē āt′ or, esp. Brit., -pa′-;n. rē pā′trē it or, esp. Brit., -pa′-), v.t., -at•ed, -at•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to bring or send back (a person, esp. a prisoner of war, a refugee, etc.) to his or her country or land of citizenship.
2. (of profits or other assets) to send back to one's own country.

v.i. 

3. to return to one's own country:
   to repatriate after 20 years abroad.

n. 

4. a person who has been repatriated.

• Late Latin repatriātus (past participle of repatriāre to return to one's fatherland), equivalent. to Latin re- re- + patri(a) native country (noun, nominal use of feminine of patrius paternal, derivative of pater father) + -ātus -ate¹
• 1605–15

re•pa•tri•a•ble  (rē pā′trē ə bəl or, esp. Brit., -pa′-), adj.  re•pa′tri•a′tion, n.