1. to transfer constitutional powers from a colonial or subordinate authority to a national government; to bring a constitution under the authority of the nation itself rather than a foreign power
Usage: Canadian history; formal/legal

1. plural of patriate; persons or entities that are patriated, or those involved in the process of patriation
Usage: Canadian history; formal/legal

Examples

• Canada patriated its constitution in 1982, bringing it fully under Canadian authority.
• The patriation of the Canadian Constitution was a significant moment in the nation's history.
• Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau championed the effort to patriate Canada's constitutional powers.
• Before patriation, Canada's constitution remained under British legislative control.
• The patriates worked to establish Canada as a fully independent nation with its own constitutional framework.