Patriot
Lover of country, or our version of it. Hating the others β optional.
How We Say It
payΒ·treeΒ·Ιt
Where It Comes From
Greek patriΕtΔs β fellow-countryman. From patrios β of one's fathers, ancestral. From patΔr β father. Originally meant a fellow citizen or compatriot β without the specific devotion implied today. Patriotism as an actively celebrated virtue is relatively modern.
How It's Been Used
The word has been weaponized to mean political conformity. 'Patriot Act,' 'Patriot' as a name for militias, far-right media outlets, and political parties β all claim ownership of love of country as a way of questioning others' loyalty. Ambrose Bierce defined it in 1906 as 'combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.'