nationality

noun

na·​tion·​al·​i·​ty ˌna-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 

ˌnash-ˈna-

plural nationalities

1

: national character

the nationality of Ireland is in her songs and in her stories, and in her chronicles and in her tradition

—W. B. Yeats

2

: loyalty and devotion to a nation

3

a

: national status

specifically : a legal relationship involving allegiance on the part of an individual and usually protection on the part of the state

nationality bestowed by birth

b

: membership in a particular nation

Vietnamese nationality

4

: political independence or existence as a separate nation

5

a

: a people having a common origin, tradition, and language and capable of forming or actually constituting a nation-state

The diverse nationalities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire desired independence.

b

: an ethnic group constituting one element of a larger unit (such as a nation)

The country is home to five nationalities.

Synonyms

• ethnicity
• nation
• race

Examples of nationality in a Sentence

The country is home to five nationalities and seven languages.

people of all races and nationalities

She's American, but her parents are of Japanese nationality.

He has held French nationality for the past 20 years.

The university has students of over 50 nationalities.

Recent Examples on the Web

The fourth person’s nationality was not identified. —Matthew Lee, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2024

The visa fee depends on your nationality but the grand total for all three airport fees falls somewhere between US$60 and $100. —Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

There’s much to love about this massive set, but one of the most wonderful aspects of it is the variety of films on display, spanning genres, nationalities, and film styles. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024

Laos, an opaque communist state that tightly controls its media, remained silent on the deaths for over a week before issuing its first statement, but details are still scant, including who else remains in hospital, which nationalities are affected and how widespread the poisonings are. —Helen Regan, CNN, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nationality

noun

na·​tion·​al·​i·​ty ˌnash-(ə-)ˈnal-ət-ē 

plural nationalities

1

: the fact or state of belonging to a nation

a person of French nationality

2

: political independence as a nation

3

: a people having a common beginning, tradition, or language