patriot
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
someone who loves their country and feels very loyal to it.
a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.
Simple“He considered himself a true patriot and always flew the national flag in his garden.”
In context“The politician's speech appealed to the audience's sense of duty, calling on every patriot to contribute to the national recovery effort.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who supported American independence from Britain in the 1700s.
a colonist who supported the American Revolution against British rule during the late 18th century.
Simple“The patriots fought several difficult battles before winning independence from the British.”
In context“Historical accounts often contrast the motivations of the New England patriots with those of the loyalists who remained faithful to the Crown.”
Synonymsrevolutionarywhig - 03 C1 Advanced
a type of powerful missile used to shoot down planes or other missiles.
a sophisticated surface-to-air missile system designed for long-range interception of aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.
Simple“The military deployed a patriot battery to protect the city from air attacks.”
In context“The deployment of the Patriot missile defense system provided a significant strategic advantage during the initial stages of the conflict.”
UsageOften capitalized as 'Patriot' when referring to the specific system.
“And now we both know our name.” The 1780 battle was a pivotal defeat for the patriots.”
From Middle French patriote, from Late Latin patriōta (“fellow countryman”) from the Ancient Greek πατριώτης (patriṓtēs, “of the same country”), from πατρίς (patrís, “father land", "country”), from πατήρ (patḗr, “father”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.