noun

fatherland

noun

One's native country, especially spoken of with strong patriotic feeling.

"The soldiers were told they were fighting to defend the fatherland."

How to Use Fatherland

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA patriotic term for one's home country.

When to use it

Often carries a formal or nationalistic tone, and in English it's frequently associated with German history — use it carefully.

fatherlands plural

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Can you complete this real example?

The soldiers were told they were fighting to defend the _____.

From "father" plus "land", echoing similar compounds in German (Vaterland) and Dutch (vaderland).

homeland motherland sire-land

homeland motherland

overland neverland Cumberland Sunderland motherland wonderland Sutherland Switzerland Northumberland

homeland motherland sire-land