1. to transfer (constitutional powers or authority) from a colonial or foreign power to a nation's own government
Usage: chiefly Canadian historical; transitive verb

Examples

• Canada patriated its constitution in 1982, bringing it under full Canadian control.
• The government worked to patriate powers that had previously been held by the British Parliament.
• Patriating the constitution was a major step toward Canadian independence.
• The process to patriate constitutional authority took many years of negotiation.