What does expatriation mean?
Expatriation is the act of leaving one's native country to live elsewhere, whether voluntarily or under compulsion. The term operates at two levels: in everyday usage it describes the experience of settling abroad for an extended period, while in legal contexts — particularly American citizenship and tax law — it refers specifically to the formal renunciation of one's nationality. Historically, expatriation also carried the harsher meaning of banishment, the forced removal of a person from their homeland as punishment. The word derives from Latin roots meaning 'out of the fatherland,' which explains its formal tone and its kinship with words like 'patriot' and 'compatriot.' Today it appears most often in discussions of migration, dual citizenship, taxation, and the lives of writers and artists who chose life abroad. Related terms include the person noun 'expatriate' and its opposite, 'repatriation,' the return home.
nounThe act of leaving one's native country to live elsewhere, or the forced removal of a person from their homeland by legal or political decree.
- The voluntary act of leaving one's native country to live abroad, especially long-term or permanently.
- The formal renunciation or loss of one's citizenship or nationality.
- The enforced removal or banishment of a person from their native country by authority of law.
"His voluntary expatriation in the 1930s took him from Vienna to London, where he spent the rest of his life."
"After decades of voluntary expatriation, she still returned each summer to the village where she was born."
"The new statute made expatriation automatic for any citizen who swore allegiance to a foreign power."
The plural is rare and generally used only when referring to multiple distinct acts or cases of expatriation.
"The archive documents the mass expatriations that followed the regime's collapse."
The word 'expatriation' literally means being driven out of your fatherland — its Latin root 'patria' is the same one that gives us 'patriot,' so an expatriate is, ironically, the opposite of a patriot in the most literal sense.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expatriation
Expatriation comes from the Latin verb 'expatriare,' formed from 'ex-' ('out of') and 'patria' ('native country,' literally 'fatherland'), itself derived from 'pater' ('father'). The word entered English in the early seventeenth century, initially carrying the strong sense of banishment or exile before softening to include voluntary residence abroad. It shares its root with 'patriot,' 'compatriot,' and 'repatriate,' all built on the same idea of attachment to one's homeland.
Related word forms
How expatriation is actually used
The word is formal and largely found in legal, historical, and immigration contexts; everyday speech favors 'moving abroad' or the noun 'expatriate.' In US tax and citizenship law, 'expatriation' specifically refers to relinquishing citizenship, giving it a precise technical sense alongside its general one.
Easily confused with expatriation
Emigration broadly describes leaving one's country to settle elsewhere, while expatriation can also denote the formal loss or renunciation of citizenship and historically carried a stronger sense of banishment.
Repatriation is the return of someone to their homeland, whereas expatriation is the departure from it.