micropatriology

Meanings

1. The study of micronations and micronationalism.
2. Synonym of micropatrology (“the study of microstates; sovereign countries with very small populations, land areas, or both”).

Etymology

Perhaps from Portuguese micropatriologia, in-turn from English micropatrology, from micro- (“very small”) + Latin patria (“country”) + -ology (“branch of learning; a study of a particular subject”), coined by the International Micropatrological Society in 1973. Perhaps a classical compound via translating micronation into Latin as micropatria (literally “microcountry”). The micropatriology variant is first attested before 24 April 2001 in a glossary listing of terms found in micronational parlance, wherein micropatrology is absent. Portuguese micropatriologia is attested as early as October 1998.