noun
patriot
PAY-tree-ut/ˈpeɪtriət/
A person devoted to and supportive of a country regarded as home.
The patriot salutes the national flag in uniform.
Etymology
The 'fatherland' was the land of one's fathers. A patriot first meant a fellow-countryman; the word then shifted from shared origins to active loyalty and defense of the country.
In context
He was the patriot who betrayed his country, the nationalist who let his country be taken over. The man who loved his people but also oppressed them.
More examples
- Several patriots organized the commemoration.
- She considered herself a patriot while criticizing government policy.
- The essay discusses what makes a patriot.
Forms
patriot · patriots
Similar words
- loyalist
- Loyalist may support a ruler or faction rather than the country generally.
- nationalist
- Nationalist can imply a political program beyond patriotic affection.