expat means an expatriate; a person temporarily residing in a foreign nation, often for an occupation, training, or education. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
expat is pronounced /ˈɛksˌpæt/.
Why “expat” is a great word
EXPAT — [Noun] A person residing outside their native country, often temporarily for work or education. Clipped from 'expatriate', itself from Medieval Latin expatriatus, past participle of expatriare ("to leave one's country"), from Latin ex- ("out of") + patria ("native country"); the modern sense of a voluntary resident abroad is attested by 1902. Unlike immigrant, which implies a permanent move toward integration, or emigrant, which focuses on the act of departure, an expat dwells in a state of provisional belonging. It is the taste of a familiar spice in an unfamiliar kitchen, the suitcase kept half-unpacked in a serviced apartment, the social circle that contracts with each new posting—a life lived in the permanent subjunctive mood, conditioned on the word 'when'.
Etymology
Clipping of expatriate.
noun
- An expatriate; a person temporarily residing in a foreign nation, often for an occupation, training, or education.