homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland 
also -lənd
plural homelands
1
: the native land or country of one's parents, one's ancestors, or oneself
our ancestral homeland
hadn't seen their homeland since they were children
2
: a state or area designated as a state for a people of a particular national, cultural, or racial origin
They are fighting for an independent homeland.
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security [=a department in the U.S. government that is responsible for the safety of the U.S. and its citizens]
specifically, in South African history
: any of several all-Black enclaves that had a limited degree of self-government : bantustan
Examples of homeland in a Sentence
He returned to his homeland for the first time in many years.
The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bundesliga, the second division of soccer in his homeland.
—
Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
In northern New Mexico, the Indigenous women of Tewa Women United work against the legacy and ongoing effects of nuclear research affecting their homelands and communities from Los Alamos National Laboratory.
—Alyssa Kreikemeier, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
Countries like Greece and Nigeria have long demanded the return of these cultural treasures, arguing they were taken without consent and belong in their homelands.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
One way to avoid this pitfall is to set the story thousands of miles away, far from the homeland, in one of the many Iranian diaspora communities that flourish worldwide.
—Porochista Khakpour, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for homeland
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Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
In northern New Mexico, the Indigenous women of Tewa Women United work against the legacy and ongoing effects of nuclear research affecting their homelands and communities from Los Alamos National Laboratory.
—Alyssa Kreikemeier, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
Countries like Greece and Nigeria have long demanded the return of these cultural treasures, arguing they were taken without consent and belong in their homelands.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
One way to avoid this pitfall is to set the story thousands of miles away, far from the homeland, in one of the many Iranian diaspora communities that flourish worldwide.
—Porochista Khakpour, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for homeland
Cite this Entry
“Homeland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homeland. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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homeland
noun
home·land
ˈhōm-ˌland
: native land : fatherland
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