Patriotism Meaning
/ˈpætɹi.əˌtɪzəm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounLove of one's country; devotion to the welfare of one's compatriots; passion which inspires one to serve one's country.
nounThe actions of a patriot.
Sentence Examples
We must instill patriotism into the young people of today.
The spirit of patriotism has its source in the love of the family.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
He showed deep ____ by refusing to betray his country for money.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her ____ was evident in the way she dedicated her career to public service and national defense.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English patriot Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English patriotism From patriot + -ism.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"That public virtue, which among the ancients was denominated patriotism, is derived from a strong sense of our own interest in the preservation and prosperity of the free government of which we are members."
— 1776, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol I, ch 1-pt ii:
"In the hour of death we shall have the consolation to see established in the land of our fathers the most wonderful work of wisdom and disinterested patriotism that has ever yet appeared on the globe."
— 1803, Thomas Jefferson, Letter to George Clinton, volume ME 10:440:
"The subject of his play was the fate of Agis, the young and heroic King of Sparta: it gave the ideal of patriotism, relieved by the tenderness of sorrow, and the fidelity of love."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “A First Night”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 69:
"Both Blimps and highbrows took for granted, as though it were a law of nature, the divorce between patriotism and intelligence. If you were a patriot you read Blackwood's Magazine and publicly thanked God that you were "not brainy". If you were an intellectual you sniggered at the Union Jack and regarded physical courage as barbarous. It is obvious that this preposterous convention cannot continue... Patriotism and intelligence will have to come together again."
— 1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn:
"I told the Governors that I had never questioned the capacity or the sincerity or the ability of a man because he belonged to a different political party. No party had an overriding claim to patriotism. The times, I said, demanded that we put away our differences and close ranks in a determined effort to make our system of government function."
— 1971, Lyndon Johnson, “"I feel like I have already been here a year"”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 28:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He showed deep ____ by refusing to betray his country for money.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her ____ was evident in the way she dedicated her career to public service and national defense.