From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpatriotpat‧ri‧ot /ˈpætriət, -triɒt, ˈpeɪ- $ ˈpeɪtriət, -triɑːt/ noun [countable] SANPGCsomeone who loves their country and is willing to defend it – used to show approval
Examples from the Corpus
patriot• He is a patriot of the first order, willing to sacrifice personal justice for the red, white and blue.• Pinochet called the convicted man a patriot.• The Presbyterians had found it easy to be patriots for many reasons.• Perhaps it is because of a hearty dislike of chauvinism and exaggerated nationalism that I have not become an intense patriot.• This could be interpreted in different ways, as later patriots were to find to their cost.• They clashed at parties and at country house weekends with fellow guests who might be termed patriots.• He was especially interested in the patriots.• The patriots were having trouble holding her fast.PatriotPatriot a type of missile used for destroying aircraft or other missiles, which was used by the US against Iraqi missiles in the Gulf War of 1991Origin patriot (1500-1600) French patriote, from Late Latin, from Greek, from patrios “of your father”, from pater “father” 