Etymology and origin of the English word patriotism
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 1716 The Political State of Great Britain
- Ultimate origin
- Ancient Greek πατριώτης
From the same root
Etymology
It is formed from English patriot + -ism.[2][3][4][5] Patriot is borrowed from French patriote (“fellow countryman”), from Late Latin patriota (“fellow countryman”), from Ancient Greek πατριώτης (patriṓtēs, “fellow countryman”), from πάτριος (pátrios, “of one's fathers”) and πατρίς (patrís, “fatherland”).[3][4][2] The OED notes that French patriotisme (1749) and German Patriotismus (1761) were formed after the English word.[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
The quality of being patriotic; love of or devotion to one's country: 1716, in The Political State of Great Britain.[2] Merriam-Webster dates it about 1710 and Etymonline 1726.[6][3]
Semantic evolution
The word has kept its single sense since the early 18th century.[2][4] It is built on patriot, which meant a compatriot in the late 16th century and only from the early 17th century a person devoted to their country.[4][3] Johnson (1755) defined patriotism as "love of one's country; zeal for one's country".[7]
Timeline
- c. 1710 – first known use in Merriam-Webster.[6]
- 1716 – love of or devotion to one's country.[2]
- 1726 – first use in Etymonline.[3]
- 1755 – Johnson's definition, "love of one's country; zeal for one's country".[7]
Meanings
Noun
- Love of and devotion to one's own country, and readiness to support or defend it: A wave of patriotism followed the team's victory.[8][6][2]
Word family
- antipatriotism
- hyperpatriotism
- overpatriotism
Related words
Usage notes
Collins contrasts the word with nationalism.[8] The toast our country, right or wrong goes back, according to Etymonline, to one given by the naval officer Stephen Decatur at a dinner in Norfolk, Virginia, in April 1816, in a longer form; the addition when right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right, often attributed to Carl Schurz in 1872, is recorded from 1859.[3]
References
- ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b c d Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
- ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
- ^ a b Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
- ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
Related etymologies
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- cosmic · also from Greek
Cite this entry
“Patriotism.” Etymologically, 26 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/patriotism. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.
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