one who loves and defends his or her country
"The dedicated patriot volunteered to serve in the army to defend his homeland against invasion."
An individual Patriot missile.
"The dedicated patriot volunteered to serve in the military to defend his nation against foreign threats."
A person who loves and zealously supports and defends their country.
In plain English: A patriot is someone who loves and supports their country deeply.
"The crowd cheered for their country's new patriot, who had risked everything to protect its freedom."
Usage: Use this term to describe someone with strong, active devotion to their nation rather than just general pride or loyalty. It often implies a willingness to defend the country's interests even when facing criticism from within.
A surface-to-air missile system.
"The Patriot missile intercepted the incoming enemy aircraft before it could reach its target."
From Middle French patriote, from Late Latin patriōta ("fellow countryman") from the Ancient Greek πατριώτης (patriṓtēs, "of the same country"), from πατρίς (patrís, "father land", "country"), from πατήρ (patḗr, "father").