repatriation

noun

re·​pa·​tri·​a·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən 

-ˌpa-

plural repatriations

: the act or process of restoring or returning someone or something to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship : the act of repatriating or the state of being repatriated

While officials privately acknowledge there is scant legal basis for repatriation, their public statements suggest that they would use lawsuits, diplomatic pressure and shame to bring home looted objects—not unlike Italy, Greece and Egypt, which have sought, with some success, to recover antiquities in European and American museums.

—Andrew Jacobs

They say they have that right under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires that human remains and artifacts be returned to Indian tribes that can show a cultural link.

—Timothy Egan

This left him an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, subject to arrest and repatriation at any time.

—Nicholas D. Kristof

Examples of repatriation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But be prepared for higher ongoing costs and consider in advance the on-premises or colocation infrastructure and AI tools that would be required for potential repatriation from the cloud. —Sven Oehme, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

The Biden administration has expanded TPS, protecting hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan and Haitian nationals from repatriations to their home countries. —Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025

Medical coverage and evacuation: Up to $50,000 in primary medical coverage, $500,000 for medical evacuation/repatriation. Pre-existing conditions waiver: Applies if the policy is purchased within 14 days of booking. —Liz Knueven, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024

Is repatriation just another way to assuage white European guilt and the sins of colonialism? —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above