a person who favours the acquisition of territory that once was part of his or her country or is considered to have been
adjective
2.
of, relating to, or advocating this belief
Derived forms
irredentism (ˌirreˈdentism)
noun
Word origin
C19: from Italian irredentista, from the phrase Italia irredenta, literally: Italy unredeemed, from ir-in-1 + redento redeemed, from Latin redemptus bought back; see redeem
Irredentist in British English
(ˌɪrɪˈdɛntɪst)
noun
(sometimes not capital)
a member of an Italian association prominent in 1878 that sought to recover for Italy certain neighbouring regions (Italia irredenta) with a predominantly Italian population that were under foreign control
irredentist in American English
(ˌɪrɪˈdɛntɪst)
noun
1. [usuallyI-]; Obsolete
any member of an Italian political party, organized in 1878, seeking to recover for Italy adjacent regions inhabited largely by Italians but under foreign control
2.
any person who advocates a similar policy about territory formerly a part of that person's country
Derived forms
irredentism (ˌirreˈdenˌtism)
noun
Word origin
It irredentista < (Italia) irredenta, unredeemed (Italy) < L in-, not + redemptus: see redemption