First Nation

noun

plural First Nations

: any of a number of peoples especially of Canada who are indigenous to the North American continent

Note: In Canada, the name First Nations refers to one of three major, legally recognized groups of aboriginal peoples, the other two being the Inuit and the Métis.

But then along came Idle No More, an ongoing grassroots movement led by Canada's First Nations, Métis and Inuit to defend treaty rights and demand respect from Ottawa.

—Katrina Sieniuc

Nearly 1,000 friends and family members gathered Saturday to celebrate the 100-year life of a revered elder of a southern Alberta First Nation.

—The Globe and Mail

Some First Nations in northeastern Ontario have re-opened their borders as COVID-19 numbers drop …

—Erik White

Fort William First Nation and other First Nations in the Lake Superior region are among those that have a direct stake in the outcome.

—Gary Rinne

—often used before another noun in both the singular and the plural

The rare barnacles are sometimes imported from Spain and Portugal, but they're available now from Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, where the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation tribe is allowed to harvest 1,000 pounds a month.

—Florence Fabricant

The provincial museum has one of the world's finest collections of First Nations art …

—Caroline Bates

Examples of First Nation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The city is also a short drive from Wendake, the center of the Huron-Wendat nation, where visitors can learn about the First Nation’s history and contemporary traditions. —Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024

The murals previously installed on the bridge towers in Windsor were painted by Paul White, Teresa Altman, and Daisy White from Walpole Island First Nation, and Naomi Peters from Caldwell First Nation, with the intention of reflecting Indigenous knowledge and tradition. —Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 5 June 2024

News in Summary On March 26, 2024, Cloud DX signed new 24-month Master Deployment Agreements with both the Beausoleil First Nation Paramedic Service and another Ontario County Paramedic Service. —Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2024

Like Valérie Courtois, a Canadian expert in Aboriginal forestry, who works with other First Nation activists and the Canadian government to protect national parks. —Neda Ulaby, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

First Nation

noun

: any of the groups of people especially of Canada who are indigenous to the North American continent