Superpatriotic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exhibiting an intense and often excessive love for one's nation
2. Marked by an extreme commitment to national pride and interests
3. Showing an unusually strong and passionate allegiance to one's homeland

Etymology: "Superpatriotic" is simply "super-" attached to "patriotic," so it adds an intensifying prefix to an adjective that already means devoted to one's country. The prefix "super-" comes from Latin, where it meant "above" or "over," and in English it has long been used to pile extra force onto an existing word, as in "superhuman" or "supersensitive." Put together, the word describes an allegiance that goes beyond ordinary patriotism, usually in a way that suggests excess. That excess is what gives the word its bite. Because "patriotic" is generally a positive term, adding "super-" can slide toward criticism, implying a love of country so intense it becomes uncritical or aggressive. The word is therefore often used by people describing others, rather than by people describing themselves.

Synonyms: ultra-nationalistic, hyper-patriotic