third culture kid

• third-culture kid

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.

third culture kid (plural third culture kids)

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

   Synonym: TCK

   • 2009, David C. Pollock, Ruth E. Van Reken, Third culture kids: growing up among worlds‎, page xii:

     In 1984, Dr. Ted Ward, then a sociologist at Michigan State University, predicted in a plenary talk at the International Conference for Missionary Kids (ICMK) in Manila that third culture kids were the prototype citizens of the future.

• adult third culture kid