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

Synonyms

• country
• fatherland
• home
• mother country
• motherland
• sod

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

The soft, wave-like surface draws inspiration from the designer’s homeland, the Republic of Karelia in Finland, indented by bays and gulfs. —Sofia Celeste, WWD, 26 Sep. 2024

Residents are being advised to stay off the road as the storm approaches and crews work to clear the roads, Stallings, the state’s emergency management and homeland security director, said. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024

Troye, a former homeland security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, spoke at the Democratic National Convention. —Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024

Julia Ainsley Julia Ainsley is the homeland security correspondent for NBC News and covers the Department of Homeland Security for the NBC News Investigative Unit. —Julia Ainsley, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

homeland

noun

home·​land ˈhōm-ˌland 

: native land : fatherland