noun Common

homeland

HOHM-land

Homeland (noun) means the country a person considers home, often their country of birth or ancestry. Example: “Many refugees hope to one day return to their homeland.”

noun

The country a person considers home, often their country of birth or ancestry.

"Many refugees hope to one day return to their homeland."

"She felt a deep connection to her family's homeland even though she'd never visited."

How to use homeland

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe country someone considers their own, whether by birth, ancestry, or ethnic identity.

Common pairings

return to the homeland homeland security ancestral homeland

Word forms

homelands plural

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Many refugees hope to one day return to their _____.

Etymology

From home + land.

Synonyms

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motherland fatherland native land home country birthplace mother country

Related words

origin roots hometown womb cradle birthplace fatherland motherland

Rhymes for homeland

Leland Iceland Ireland Zeeland Copeland Moreland Breeland wasteland Cleveland Dixieland Westmoreland

See all rhymes for homeland →

Frequently asked questions

What does “homeland” mean?

The word “homeland” means the country a person considers home, often their country of birth or ancestry. In plain terms, the country someone considers their own, whether by birth, ancestry, or ethnic identity.

How do you pronounce “homeland”?

“Homeland” is pronounced HOHM-land (/ˈhoʊmˌlænd/ in IPA).

How do you use “homeland” in a sentence?

Here is “homeland” used in a sentence: “Many refugees hope to one day return to their homeland.”

What part of speech is “homeland”?

“Homeland” is a noun.

Is “homeland” a common word?

“Homeland” is a fairly common word in modern English.

What is the difference between "homeland" and "hometown"?

A "homeland" is the whole country a person considers home, often by birth or ancestry, while a "hometown" is the specific town or city where someone was born or grew up. Homeland refers to a nation; hometown to a single locality within it.

What is the difference between "homeland" and "motherland" or "fatherland"?

All three refer to a person's country of origin, but "homeland" is the neutral, everyday term. "Motherland" and "fatherland" carry stronger emotional or patriotic weight and are often tied to particular national traditions.

When should you use "homeland" instead of "country"?

Use "homeland" when you want to stress a personal or emotional bond to the nation of one's birth or ancestry rather than just name a state. "Country" is a neutral geographic or political term, whereas "homeland" implies belonging and identity.

Is "homeland" written as one word or two?

"Homeland" is a single closed compound word and is not written as "home land." It combines "home" and "land" to mean the country someone regards as home.

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origin roots hometown womb cradle birthplace fatherland motherland