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

Italian American Social Club of Central Florida: All nationalities are welcome. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025

Divided in three groups that changed every day, these women, of different ages, nationalities, roles, careers and musical genres, brought together their ideas, talent and passion to create a diverse array of songs, from ballad pop to merengue, dark-alternative pop and Mexican regional music. —Natalia Cano, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2025

El Salvador has already offered Trump the option to house deportees of any nationality for a fee. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025

Meloni's approach to expel the migrants echoes U.S. President Donald Trump's recent deportations of migrants of various nationalities to Panama. —Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nationality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criminality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• hospitality

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