expatriate
UK[eksˈpætrieɪt]US[eksˈpeɪtrieɪt]
v
To send (someone) out of their native country to live elsewhere, especially as a punishment or to work for a company.
v
To withdraw (oneself) from residence in one's native country.
n
A person who lives outside their native country.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
patri
ate
ex
out
patri
fatherland
ate
verb/noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'expatriate' is built directly from Latin components. The prefix 'ex-' signifies "out," and the core root 'patri-' relates to one's homeland or fatherland, originating from the Proto-Indo-European root 'pəter-' (father). The suffix '-ate' forms a verb or agent noun. Literally, the term means "out of the fatherland." Historically, it carried a sense of banishment or exile from one's native soil. Over time, the meaning broadened to include voluntary residence abroad, often for professional reasons, shifting the connotation from forced expulsion to a more neutral or even privileged status of living overseas.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + patri (fatherland) + ate (verb/noun suffix)
- ex: A Latin prefix meaning "out of, from, away."
- patri: From the Latin root "patria," meaning "fatherland, native country," derived from "pater" (father).
- ate: A suffix of Latin origin used to form verbs meaning "to act upon" or nouns denoting a person or state.
Examples
The company will expatriate several senior managers to its new Singapore office.
After decades living in Paris, she considered herself a permanent expatriate.
He decided to expatriate himself for tax reasons, renouncing his citizenship.