Compatriot: Definition, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：fellow countryman (compatriot)

compatriot 🔊

/kəmˈpætriət/

A person who comes from the same country as you.

Compatriot meaning illustrated: two fellow countrymen meeting abroad near the Eiffel Tower.

fellow countryman 🔊

➕

/ˈfɛloʊ ˈkʌntriˌmæn/

A compatriot is a person who originates from the same country as you, often fostering a sense of connection and shared identity, especially in foreign environments.

📁 Category：Countries & Government 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'com-' (together) and 'patria' (homeland).

💡 Mnemonic

Com- means together, patriot loves country; together they share a homeland.

📖 Example

While studying in Paris, I felt an instant connection when I met a compatriot at a local café, as we shared stories about our hometown. 🔊 When studying abroad in Paris, encountering a fellow countryman at a café created an immediate bond as we reminisced about home.

🔗 Collocations

fellow compatriots – other individuals who share the same nationality

compatriot abroad – a person from your country residing in a foreign land

compatriot soldiers – military personnel who hail from the same nation

🔄 Synonyms

countryman (n.) – A person who comes from the same country.

fellow citizen (n.) – Someone who shares citizenship with you.

national (n.) – An individual belonging to a particular nation.

🚫 Antonyms

foreigner (n.) – A person from a different country.

alien (n.) – A non-citizen or outsider to a country.

expatriate (n.) – A person living outside their native country, but not necessarily sharing your nationality.

🌱 Derivatives

compatriotic (adj.) – Relating to or characteristic of compatriots.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'compatriota'. In modern English, it is often used in political discourse or international events like the Olympics to emphasize shared nationality.