Expat

Wikipedia:

An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person residing in a country other than their native country.[1] In common usage, the term often refers to professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either independently or sent abroad by their employers, which can be companies, universities, governments, or non-governmental organisations.[2] However, the term ‚expatriate‘ is also used for retirees and others who have chosen to live outside their native country. Historically, it has also referred to exiles.[3]

The word expatriate comes from the Latin terms ex („out of“) and patria („native country, fatherland“). Dictionary definitions for the current meaning of the word include:

Expatriate:

  • ‚A person who lives outside their native country‘ (Oxford),[3] or
  • ‚living in a foreign land‘ (Webster’s).[4]

These contrast with definitions of other words with a similar meaning, such as:

Migrant:

  • ‚A person who moves from one place to another in order to find work or better living conditions‘ (Oxford),[5] or
  • ‚one that migrates: such as a: a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops‘ (Webster’s);[6]
or
Immigrant

  • ‚A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country‘ (Oxford),[7] or
  • ‚one that immigrates: such as a: a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence (Webster’s).[8]

„native country“
„home country“
„exiles“
„a foreign land“
„better living conditions“

What do these words all mean?

Bookmark the permalink.