Returnee Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
🏡
returnee
[rɪˈtɜːrniː ]
Definition
individual returning
A returnee is a person who returns to their home country after a period of absence, often due to work, study, or fleeing circumstances in another country. The term can also refer to someone returning to a previous position or status, whether in a professional or social context.
Synonyms
homecoming, reintegrated, repatriate.
Examples of usage
- The returnee from abroad shared stories of their travels.
- The government's program supports the reintegration of returnees.
- As a returnee, she found it challenging to adjust back to her old life.
- Returnees often face cultural shock after being away for extended periods.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Cultural Context
- In many cultures, homecomings are celebrated, such as military returnees who are welcomed back with parades and festivities.
- In some regions, returnees may face challenges adapting due to changes in their former home, emphasizing the complexity of coming back.
Social Psychology
- Studies show that returnees often experience mixed emotions, balancing joy from reunion with anxiety about readjustment.
- The concept of a returnee can evoke a sense of nostalgia, which is linked to feelings of happiness and longing for the past.
Historical Context
- Returnees have played significant roles in post-war recovery, bringing back skills and knowledge after conflicts or economic migrations.
- The movement of returnees is prominently involved in discussions about refugee resettlement, particularly in international relations and humanitarian efforts.
Literature
- In literature and storytelling, returnees often symbolize redemption or the completion of a journey, as seen in various myths and classic tales.
- Returnees are common figures in novels about migration, exploring themes of identity and belonging.
Origin of 'returnee'
Main points about word origin
- The word 'returnee' combines 'return,' from the Latin 'retornare,' meaning to come back, with the suffix '-ee,' which indicates someone who receives an action.
- The use of '-ee' in English often denotes a person involved in an action, just like in other words such as 'employee' or 'trainee.'
The word 'returnee' is derived from the base word 'return', which has roots in Middle English 'returnen', meaning 'to come back', originating from the Old French 'retorner'. The suffix '-ee' denotes a person who is the recipient of an action or the object of a verb, commonly used in words like 'employee' or 'trainee'. The term gained prominence in humanitarian contexts, especially during the late 20th century, when discussions regarding refugees and displaced populations became more common. As nations began to understand the complexities associated with migration, the idea of a 'returnee' emerged as a distinct identity, focusing on individuals who had returned voluntarily or forcibly to their countries of origin.