Etymology

third culture kid

Today it means: A young person who has lived for a significant period outside their birth (or passport) country due to parental work-related migration. Full definition →

First used mid-20th c.
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The story

Coined by American sociologist and anthropologist Ruth Hill Useem in the 1950s. "Third culture" refers to a distinct way of life different from those of the birth or host countries, but common to fellow expats.

First known use, by meaning

  • from mid-20th c. A young person who has lived for a significant period outside their birth (or passport) country due to parental work-related migration.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.