patrie
homeland
noun pah-TREE Less Common
Origin: Latin patria 'fatherland'
Usage Note
Patrie carries strong emotional and patriotic weight — it is the word in France's national motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité and the Marseillaise ('Allons enfants de la Patrie'). It is more formal and emotive than pays, which just means 'country'. Mourir pour la patrie means 'to die for one's country'.
Examples
"Ils ont défendu leur patrie avec courage."
Natural Translation
They defended their homeland with courage.
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