Patriot and Nationalist Are Not Synonyms
A patriot loves their country. Writers have long drawn a line between that and nationalism, and the distinction is worth having.
A patriot is someone devoted to their own country. George Orwell drew the distinction that stuck: patriotism is devotion to a place and a way of life with no wish to impose it, while nationalism is competitive and measures itself against others. The words are used interchangeably in argument, which is usually the point.
- Someone who loves their country. *A lifelong patriot.*
- Patriotic — showing such devotion. *A patriotic song.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | patriot | A true patriot. |
| Plural | patriots | The patriots of 1776. |
| Adjective | patriotic | Patriotic duty. |
| Noun | patriotism | Quiet patriotism. |
| Related | compatriot | A fellow compatriot. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He considered himself a patriot, not a nationalist.A distinction people often insist on.
- Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.Samuel Johnson, in 1775.
- She met a compatriot in the final.Someone from the same country.
Related words
- Patriotism — love of one's country
- Nationalism — belief in the superiority or primacy of one's nation
- Chauvinism — aggressive patriotism, from a French soldier's name
- Jingoism — belligerent patriotism, from a music-hall song
- Compatriot — a fellow citizen
From Late Latin *patriota*, from Greek *patriotes*, fellow countryman, from *patris*, fatherland, from *pater*, father. The same root gives *paternal* and *patron*.
Patriot or nationalist?
Patriotism is usually described as attachment to your own country; nationalism as asserting its superiority or interests over others. The line is argued about constantly.
Where does *jingoism* come from?
From a British music-hall song of 1878 whose chorus began *we don't want to fight, by Jingo if we do*.