DCHP-2

astronaut DCHP-2 (May 2016)

• n. — also used attributively; at times used derogatorily

  a resident or new Canadian who travels back and forth to their home country for work, while leaving their families in Canada.

  The term comes from the large amount of time spent in the air travelling (see the 1990 quotation). Usually, the astronaut is the family's father, who lets his wife and children settle in the new country and visits as his work schedule allows. Though the term is also used elsewhere (see Chart 1), it has no particular claim to being Canadian. See also Waters (2003).
  See also COD-2, s.v. "astronaut" (2), which is marked "Cdn (BC) informal", and OED-3, s.v. "astronaut" (3).

  • Common attributive phrases include astronaut father and astronaut family.