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Definition of homesickness

homesickness

/ˈhoʊm.sɪk.nəs/
home · sick · ness
Adjective:homesick
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homesickness Lexical Profile

homesickness Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The feeling of emotional distress, sadness, or longing caused by being away from one's home, family, and familiar surroundings.

Example

"During her first month studying abroad in Japan, she experienced a wave of homesickness whenever she called her parents."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for homesickness

• Nearby Words

homeschooler
homeschooling
homesick
homesickness
homesite
homespun
homestand

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the mid-18th century from 'homesick' + '-ness', likely modeled as a calque of the German 'Heimweh' ('home-woe'), which had previously inspired the scholarly medical coinage 'nostalgia'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Homesickness. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/homesickness
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