compatriot

noun

com·​pa·​tri·​ot kəm-ˈpā-trē-ət 

käm-,

-trē-ˌät,

 chiefly British  -ˈpa-

1

: a person born, residing, or holding citizenship in the same country as another

We watched our compatriots compete in the Olympics.

2

: companion, colleague

her compatriots in academia

theater compatriots

compatriotic

kəm-ˌpā-trē-ˈä-tik 

ˌkäm-

 chiefly British  -ˌpa-

adjective

Synonyms

• countryman
• citizen
• national

Examples of compatriot in a Sentence

We watched our compatriots compete in the Olympics.

the famous actor and his theater compatriots

Recent Examples on the Web

The new queen was crowned by Miss Universe Nicaragua 2024, Geyssell García, after competing with 12 compatriots who represented the departments and autonomous regions of the country. —Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

During a familiarly frenetic summer of incomings and outgoings (hat tip Strasbourg) at Chelsea, new recruit Joao Pedro has made a dream start to life in West London, already dovetailing well with compatriot and teenage star Estevao. —Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025

Sadly, the midnight movie magic that befell me and my Long Treadmill compatriots will be gone from our city by then. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025

But before his last-four clash with the Serb on Saturday, Alcaraz will swing more than his tennis racquet, facing compatriot and 2017 Masters champion, Sergio Garcia, in a golf face-off. —Manasi Pathak, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French compatriote, from Late Latin compatriota, from Latin com- + Late Latin patriota fellow countryman — more at patriot

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for compatriot

• patriot

Kids Definition

compatriot

noun

com·​pa·​tri·​ot kəm-ˈpā-trē-ət 

käm-,

-trē-ˌät

: a person from one's own country : countryman